New Delhi: 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.
Also Read: “People With Comorbidities Should Get COVID Test Done,” Says Dr Rajesh Chawla From Apollo Hospital
He added,
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.
Dr Nikhil Modi emphasised 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. He said,
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.
“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.
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He emphasised the importance of testing for other viral infections, not just COVID. The doctor said,
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.
“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.
Also Read: COVID Cases Are Up, Is It Time To Mask Up? Here’s What The Experts Have To Say
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world post COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental well-being, self-care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
