Weather change triggers surge in COVID, flu cases, says Health Expert

New Delhi [India]: As winter sets in and cold wave intensifies, health experts are highlighting a sudden surge in viral infections, influenza, and COVID-19 cases.

Dr Nikhil Modi, a senior pulmonologist at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, pointed out that the declining temperature leads to increased moisture in the air, low wind speed, and a rise in pollution, contributing to various infections.

“Due to the falling temperature, there is fog, which, along with pollution, forms smog. This atmospheric condition can result in different types of infections, and many people are experiencing difficulty in breathing,” Dr Modi said.

“The rise in cases is not limited to COVID-19, other infections, including swine flu, influenza, and H1N1, have also seen an increase. Hospitals are witnessing a surge in patients with symptoms such as cough, cold, fever, breathing problems, decreased oxygen levels, and pneumonia complaints,” he added.
Dr Nikhil Modi emphasized preventive measures to avoid infections in winter.

He recommended staying indoors whenever possible, covering the body adequately in cold weather, especially the head and legs. Consuming nutritious, hot food, maintaining cleanliness, and wearing masks when going outside are crucial precautions.

“Stay indoors in such weather and not go out of the house unless it is necessary. The best way to avoid diseases in winter is to keep your body properly covered in the cold. Especially cover your head and legs,” he said.

“Eat nutritious food, eat hot food, take care of cleanliness and wear a mask whenever you go out of the house. Because the mask will not only protect you from many viral infections but will also protect you from pollution,” Dr Modi added.

Amid the surge in COVID-19 cases, the doctor urged people not to ignore symptoms such as cough, cold, fever, body ache, loose motion, throat mucus, and headaches.

He emphasized the importance of testing for other viral infections, not just COVID.

“If a patient is continuously experiencing problems like cough, cold, fever, body ache, loose motion, mucus in the throat, headache, then do not ignore it and do not just get the corona test done. But also get tested for other viral infections. Because many times people get tested for COVID-19 only when they have a cough, cold, fever etc. and do not get tested for other diseases and later their problems increase,” the doctor said.

“Many times people ignore fever for several days, which is not right. If a fever above 100 persists for two or three days continuously, consult a doctor immediately and get it checked. It is not right to take only paracetamol,” he added.

India recorded 774 fresh cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours according to the Union Health Ministry.
As per official data, two deaths have been reported in the country in the last 24 hours – one each in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.

With this, the total count of coronavirus cases in India since its outbreak in January 2020 has reached 4,50,17,431 with an increase of 774 cases in the last 24 hours. The death toll due to COVID-19 cases in India has risen to, 5,33,387 reflecting an increase of two deaths in the last 24 hours.

The total number of COVID-19 cases that have recovered in India is 4,44,79,804, an increase of 919 since yesterday morning.