Here comes the rain - July nemesis: water-logging, mosquitoes, malaria and dengue

If the rains are here, can water-logging, mosquitoes and consequent dengue and malaria cases be far behind?

District hospitals are arming themselves for the expected rise in cases of vector-borne diseases that are sure to mushroom as Lucknow roads get water-logged. The three major government hospitals in the city, Lok Bandhu Hospital, Syama Prasad Mukherjee (Civil) Hospital, and Balrampur Hospital, have agreed that July is typically the month when the uptick in numbers of malaria and dengue cases are recorded in the city.

Uptick in diseases expected this month

Lok Bandhu Hospital has already set aside a separate ward for patients who will be coming in with infections and illnesses caused by the monsoon and water-logging. Given the floods that have already started wreaking havoc in certain parts of the state, the hospital is ready not only for the invariable inflow of malaria, dengue, and other water-borne disease cases, but also for snake and insect-bite patients.

“Once the rain continues and the water accumulates on the streets, mosquitoes will start breeding,” said Dr Suresh Kaushal, director of Lok Bandhu Hospital, “and then around the last week of this month, we will be dealing with many such cases. In October again, the numbers will go down.”

EMO (emergency medical officer) at Balrampur Hospital here, Dr. Manish Srivastav, opined that whenever a disease trend starts in the city, the Balrampur Hospital is the first one to see the trend, as it caters to the largest number of patients, amongst the three major district hospitals. “Last year, by the end of June, we were getting 2-4 cases daily, the same will repeat this year as well,” he said.

“While we normally get 1-2 cases a month, in July that same number is recorded weekly,” informed Dr. Rajesh Srivastava, chief medical officer of Syama Prasad Hospital. “As the flooding becomes worse in Lucknow and neighbouring districts, we are expecting at least a dozen cases in the month, since we get many patients from rural areas on the outskirts of Lucknow as well,” he said.

Doctors warn of telltale symptoms

Dr. Kaushal said, “This is the peak time for water-borne and vector-borne diseases. By the time July ends, we are expecting to see a rise in the number of malaria, dengue, hepatitis cases,” he said. “As of now, we have started seeing a spike in cases of viral fever.”

According to Balrampur EMO Dr. Srivastava, intermittent fever is the most telltale symptom of malaria. “The body temperature will rise and fall intermittently every 24 hours or less,” he explained.

“While the viral fever cases have begun rising, we have not diagnosed any more than 2 people this month with malaria.” As for dengue, the doctor said that the fever is usually very severe from the start and lasts long, accompanied by continuous bodyache.