Delhi Grapples with Rising Dengue, Chikungunya, and Swine Flu Cases

New Delhi is currently grappling with a significant surge in dengue, chikungunya, and swine flu cases. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) reported a worrying increase of 401 new infections between September 22 to 28. This trend has raised concerns among health professionals and the public alike. The South zone and the Najafgarh zone have been identified as the areas with the highest number of dengue cases. The city recorded 1,052 dengue cases till September 28, according to the MCD report.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that these diseases present overlapping symptoms, making diagnosis a challenge. Dr. Sharang Sachdeva, Senior Consultant and Head of Emergency at Aakash Healthcare, revealed that the number of patients presenting with symptoms such as fever, body aches, and fatigue has been steadily rising over the past few weeks. Presently, we are witnessing around 100 patients daily presenting with these symptoms, he said. Of these, 20-25 per cent are diagnosed with dengue, while 10-15 per cent are diagnosed with swine flu, indicating a concerning overlap of multiple infections during this period.

The situation is further exacerbated by the fact that one-related death has already been reported this year, with a 54-year-old patient succumbing to the disease at Lok Kalyan Hospital. Last year, 19 dengue deaths were reported in the national capital, highlighting the severity of the situation. Dr. Harshal R Salve, Additional professor at the Centre for Community Medicine at AIIMS, New Delhi, pointed out that the season is favourable for the breeding of mosquitoes, which might lead to spikes in vector-borne diseases such as dengue and chikungunya.

The MCD data also shows a marked increase in both malaria and chikungunya cases in the September 22-28 period. About 430 malaria cases have been recorded until September 28 this year, compared to 321 cases during the same period in 2023. Chikungunya cases have also risen, with 55 cases reported this year in the same period, up from 24 in the corresponding period last year.

Diagnosis of these diseases is a major problem due to the common symptoms. Swine flu (H1N1) symptoms closely resemble those of other viral infections, typically presenting as high fever, sore throat, cough, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, and nasal congestion. "Patients also commonly complain of headaches, body aches, generalised malaise, and gastritis-like symptoms. These symptoms are common to influenza type A, type B, and swine flu, as well as other viral illnesses,"  Prashant Sinha, Senior Consultant, HOD of Emergency at PSRI Hospital, told IANS. The hospital is seeing 20 to 25 patients with dengue daily.

Similarly, dengue and viral fever also start with comparable symptoms, such as high fever, body aches, and fatigue. "However, as dengue progresses, distinct signs begin to emerge, including severe headaches, pain behind the eyes, joint and muscle pain, and rashes. In more severe cases of dengue, bleeding from the nose, gums, or easy bruising may occur," Sachdeva said.