Several hospitals in the city have reported a sharp rise in cases of ‘long flu’, a condition where influenza-like symptoms such as cough, fever, cold, body aches and fatigue continue for over four weeks. The trend has been observed in both children and adults, said doctors.
Normally, the flu symptoms subside within three to five days with proper medication and rest. However, doctors said from the past one month, there has been an increase in the number of patients experiencing prolonged illness, where cough, fatigue, and body ache linger far beyond the usual recovery period.
Dr Ameet Dravid, infectious diseases expert, Noble Hospital, said most of the patients who are taking more than three to four weeks to recover are not infected with regular flu but with the H1N1 (Swine flu) and H3N2 subtype of the influenza A virus.
“The cases of patients infected with H3N2 are increasing and they take more recovery periods compared to seasonal flu and H1NI. The symptoms, like weakness and cough, last for over four weeks. This season, we have seen several patients with prolonged flu-like symptoms. However, only a few patients have undergone testing,” he said.
Dr Prashant Udavant, paediatrician at Ruby Hall clinic, said, there is a surge in pediatric patients infected with flu and in a month, over 10 children have tested positive for H3N2. “Daily, around 25 to 30 children come with flu infections. Most of them complain of high fever, dehydration, vomiting, cold, cough and fatigue. The respiratory symptoms are reported later in the second week of infection. The patients come with a history of the entire family being infected with influenza, one after the other,” he said.
A parent of a child infected with long-flu-like symptoms said, “My son initially had high fever, cold, cough, and dehydration. After three days, the fever and cold vanished, but his cough has persisted for four weeks now. Additionally, he has lost his appetite.”
Dr Preeti Ajapuje, Infectious Disease expert at VishwaRaj Hospital, said that with the influenza virus, the patients generally recover in a week, but some of the symptoms, like weakness, may remain for a few weeks. Most of the time, the treatment is the conservative treatment for fever and pain relief as required. “We generally advise exercises and lifestyle modification. The people in whom we see post-viral illnesses are the ones who have comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases, etc., and the age group of above 60,” she said.
