CHENNAI: As flu cases among children surge in several districts of Tamil Nadu, hospital admission rates have gone up and a sizable number of students are skipping class.
According to doctors, the number of flu-related fever, cold, and cough cases has increased by 25% in the previous few weeks across the state, particularly affecting school-aged children.
Doctor Manonmani said "With the Covid protocols relaxed people are not wearing masks and this can be one of the reasons for a comeback of diseases like flu among children in Tamil Nadu. This can be one of the reasons for a comeback of diseases like flu among children in Tamil Nadu which was on a lull during the past two years of Covid -19 pandemic."
Dr. Manonmani added that viruses are resurfacing with a vengeance as a result of further easing of pandemic measures. She said that it is concerning since some viruses that frequently change are also present in test samples used for study.
Doctors added that the samples being analysed revealed the human parainfluenza virus-3 (respiratory sickness associated with bronchiolitis, bronchi, and pneumonia), rhinovirus, and influenza B virus, which are frequently observed during this season.
There are some newly discovered viruses, according to Dr. Bindu Menon, a virologist at Madurai Medical College. She also noted that all of these viruses are finding hosts and that the rates of transmission are rising.
She said, children only experience the flu for three to four days, but during that time they cough for three weeks straight without relief from anything, not even cough syrups.
In numerous regions of Tamil Nadu, the children's wards in practically all government hospitals are full as admission rates for fever and the common cold are rising.
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