Monsoon brings surge in dengue cases: Doctors advise caution, early detection

While the monsoon brought in relief from the sweltering heat cases of dengue have spiralled in various parts of the country including in Karnataka Kerala Telangana Andhra Pradesh Odisha and Maharashtra Doctors on Sunday advised caution and also stressed the need for early detection to boost outcomes Dengue is a vectorborne disease transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito The mosquitoes thrive in warm and humid environments causing the disease that is endemic to more than 100 countriesChildren have a higher risk of getting dengue fever with varied presentations than in earlier years The classical presentation would be a brief period of febrile illness with vomiting and pain in the abdomen decreased appetite and generalised myalgia But during this season even children with atypical upper respiratory infections and Gastroenteritis are also positive for dengue said Santosh Kumar Senior Consultant and Lead Paediatrics Neonatology Motherhood Hospitals Banashankari Bengaluru atOptions key d0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7 format iframe height 90 width 728 params Karnataka reported 5374 cases and five deaths from dengue Telangana 882 cases while Andhra Pradesh reported cases of both dengue and malaria Odisha 288 Ernakulam in Kerala has seen 400 casesSymptoms such as high fever severe headache muscle and joint pain and rash all are early indications of dengueDengue fever is usually a community outbreak and early diagnosis is crucial the experts said noting that while majorly it is selflimiting in some cases it can progress to severe dengue also known as dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndromePersistent vomiting abdominal pain mucosal bleeding and signs of circulatory failure may indicate a more severe case of dengueEarly diagnosis allows for timely administration of medications to alleviate these symptoms improving the patients comfort and quality of life during the illness informs Aravinda S N Lead Consultant Internal Medicine Aster RV Hospital BengaluruEarly diagnosis not only benefits the individual patient but also plays a crucial role in preventing the spread of dengue virus to others Identifying and isolating infected individuals early in the course of the illness can help prevent further transmission of the virus to mosquitoes breaking the cycle of dengue transmission in the community he addedThe doctors called for maintaining adequate hydration levels due to fluid loss due to fever vomiting and diarrhea which can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalancesThe experts also advised people to take protective precautions like avoiding standing water where mosquitoes can breed and using mosquito repellents wearing protective clothingAlso read How this asymptomatic heart condition raises risk of sudden cardiac deathThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever