Monsoon brings fever, gastric infections; docs warn against cold food

Food-borne stomach infections and gastroenteritis are common during monsoon as heavy rains and waterlogging impact the quality of water, said Dr Suresh Jain,

2 min readPuneJul 12, 2023 04:47 AM IST

Southwest Monsoon, respiratory viral infections, diarrhoea, stomach infections, pune doctors warning against cold food, indian express, indian express news

The bottom line, according to Dr Pradeep Sharma, colorectal and gastrointestinal surgeon, is to ensure use of clean and boiled drinking water as 99 per cent infections during monsoon are water and food-borne. (Representational Image)

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Monsoon brings fever, gastric infections; docs warn against cold food

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With the monsoon setting in, doctors in Pune have started witnessing a rise in cases of respiratory viral infections, diarrhoea and stomach infections and have advised caution against eating cold food at eateries.

“60 percent of the cases are respiratory infections with symptoms of cough, cold and wheezing while 20-30 per cent are gastrointestinal tract-related infections,” said Dr Umesh Vaidya, head of neonatology. “Eat hot food, maintain hand hygiene, instruct your children to wash their hands and, if in crowded places, wear a mask.”

“If one is eating, say, a sada dosa, try avoiding the chutney. The same holds true for cold salads. As far as possible, try eating hot food at eateries and consume fresh, fully cooked food,” he said.

Food-borne stomach infections and gastroenteritis are common during monsoon as heavy rains and waterlogging impact the quality of water, said Dr Suresh Jain, gastroenterologist at Jehangir Hospital. “Among adults, we are seeing a 25-30 per cent cases of gastro infection (loose motions and vomiting) that sometimes requires hospitalisation,” he said.

“Symptoms such as watery diarrhoea and vomiting may be accompanied by fever, nausea, and abdominal cramps and can lead to dehydration. Stay hydrated and avoid eating unhygienic roadside food. Consult a doctor in case of high fever, blood in stools, signs of dehydration such as dry mouth, little or no urine, severe weakness and lightheadedness,” said Jain.

Asked about the treatment for stomach infections, doctors advised rest, intake of fluids and electrolytes and at times, probiotics for diarrhoea. Systematic hand washing, maintaining hygiene and cleaning surfaces that are likely to be infected by germs are some of the precautionary measures to prevent gastroenteritis, which is essentially an inflammation of the stomach lining.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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