Why are cases of coughing, sneezing, and wheezing rising in Delhi-NCR?

Although summer months have begun, these flu-like symptoms along with allergic reactions have seen a significant rise, say doctors.

Experts have said that many of these symptoms which people in the outpatient department (OPD) of hospitals are showing without having any fever have been attributed to erratic temperature levels and a delay in hot weather.

Dr Tushar Tayal, Consultant, Internal Medicine, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, told IndiaToday.in that a lot of people showing running nose, low-grade fever, throat irritation and throat pain, and wheezing may be because of Covid, H3N2, H1N1 and common flu virus are getting sick frequently and are showing recurrent viral infection.

“We have observed that in the past 2-4 months people are falling sick again. Say, in January they got sick and again in the month of May they are infected. Plus, the rise in pollution and the changing weather and the pollen is worsening the symptoms. It is causing a lot of wheezing and coughing in a lot of people,” said Dr Tushar Tayal.

According to Dr Prabhat Ranjan Sinha, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine, Aakash Healthcare, New Delhi, flu-like symptoms are on the rise also because of the new plants flowering and pollens in the air, causing massive allergic reactions.

“People are just coming with cough without any flu-like symptoms or running nose. These people are attributing to the pollens and the allergens in the air, which are triggering the allergies. ”

With various factors triggering flu-like symptoms, it does become difficult to spot the actual cause.

“Sometimes it becomes difficult to differentiate symptoms of flu and allergies because not all flu patients come with a fever. They may present with just a cough and runny nose. Sometimes it becomes difficult to say if it is a viral infection or simply an allergy triggering the cough or a combination of both,” said Dr Tayal.

Besides common cold, cough and sore throat, Dr Sinha shared that other symptoms like tonsil enlargement, headaches, and in many cases, if it is persisting for long then it is converting into URTI (upper respiratory tract infection).

“If patients already have chronic lung infection or bronchitis then they need hospitalisation,” he said.

The treatment in most cases is usually over-the-counter cough syrup, lozenges and gargling, which are required during this time.

“Symptomatic patients are being treated with anti-allergic over-the-counter medications, cough syrups if required, and some kind of nebulisation. In other cases, if the patient has a fever, then tests for Covid and other viral infection tests are advised. But it is not always necessary. Prima facie the treatment remains symptomatic and no antibiotics are required,” said Dr Tayal.

Dr Sinha added that for URTI and tonsilitis, if there’s a bacterial infection, then antibiotics are being prescribed, otherwise “antiallergic in cases of bronchial asthma or rhinitis.”

Dr Vivek Nangia, Principal Director & Head, Pulmonology, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, told IndiaToday.in that allergic reactions and watery discharge from the eyes are also being seen in the OPD besides flu-like symptoms. He added that as part of treatment when symptoms are prolonged then steroids have been prescribed in many cases.

As per Dr Tayal, asthmatic symptoms are also worsening during this season. “Worsening symptoms in asthmatics are being seen right now and we’re having to give them inhalers and in some cases, steroids also,” he said.

Talking about taking anti-allergic tests, Dr Sinha shared that even if people tried to take tests on their own, it won’t provide a viable solution.

“Some people are allergic to congress grass, called parthenium hysterophorus. Even if you come to know you’re allergic to it, the only thing you can do is change the place you’re residing. But to recover, you can simply take an anti-allergen test and recover and wait for the flowering time to end for symptoms to improve,” as per the expert