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Time of India
6 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
City sees spike in gastro cases amid monsoon onset
Kolkata: An outbreak of viral fever and gastrointestinal diseases, with symptoms of stomach upset often worsening into diarrhoea, has struck Kolkata over the last week, within days of the Covid outbreak fading. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Cases of severe diarrhoea, typhoid, and shigella have also been reported across private hospitals. The number of patients suffering from stomach infection-related fever has gone up by 10%-15% in the last four days, according to some city clinics and hospitals. "The symptoms range from mild stomach discomfort to severe gastroenteritis with high fever persisting for three-four days. We have been receiving five-six patients with stomach-related ailments daily on average since last week. These include senior citizens, some of whom suffered severe electrolyte imbalance due to fluid loss triggered by diarrhoea. We admitted a few since it's necessary to monitor the electrolyte level and ensure the right fluid replenishment under supervision," said Charnock Hospital emergency head Nishant Agarwal. "We received around five patients with hepatitis A in the last week. Typhoid and gastrointestinal diseases rise around the onset of monsoon, often due to consumption of contaminated water. That apart, cases of severe diarrhoea have been on the rise. This will continue till the rain turns more consistent," said Sayan Chakrabarty, infectious diseases physician, Manipal Hospitals. "We are seeing a variety of gastrointestinal infections, ranging from viral gastroenteritis to bacterial infections like E. coli and salmonella that cause diarrhoea, fever, and stomach pain. Common symptoms include nausea, watery or bloody diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, fever, and dehydration," said Shiv Ratan Pathak, consultant gastroenterologist, BP Poddar. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Last week, we had six admissions. Drinking safe water and good hygiene are essential," said Supriyo Chakrabarty, group adviser, BP Poddar. "We detected several diarrhoea and typhoid cases, some very severe, over the last few days. Several pathogenic strains of E-coli have also been detected along with a few shigella cases. We also found campylobacter jejuni and vibrio cholerae in multiple cases with gastrointestinal symptoms," said Peerless Hospital microbiologist Bhaskar Narayan Chaudhuri. Techno DAMA Hospital has treated five to six young adults and kids with diarrhoea, fever, bloating, and stom-ach cramps. E. coli, rotavirus, amoebiasis, and a few salmonella and Shigella cases have been detected along with a few cases of typhoid. "We mostly treat by using ORS. Zinc supplementation can also help reduce the duration and severity of episodes. In bacterial infections, antibiotics may be prescribed," said MS Purkait, medical superintendent, Techno India DAMA Hospital.
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
‘Behind mask: Who heals the healer?'
1 2 3 Kolkata: Doctors need to feel safe both on campus and at hospitals and chambers since they suffer as much physical exhaustion and stress as the rest of society, dealing with the weight of expectations from patients on a daily basis, said medics on National Doctor's Day on Tuesday. The constant scrutiny and the pressure to perform often make them as vulnerable as patients, and they, too, need healing time, said Kolkata doctors. This has been making them prone to breakdowns, errors, and more frequent burnouts, they said. This year's theme for the day was "Behind the Mask: Who Heals the Healers?" "Behind every successful diagnosis and every life saved, there is a doctor quietly carrying the weight of long hours, emotional strain, and constant doctors face immense professional and personal challenges. As we celebrate Doctor's Day, let's also recognise that healers need healing, too. They need space to rest, to learn, to grow, and to feel safe. Caring for caregivers isn't just a theme — it's a responsibility we must all share," said Anjan Siotia, director, cardiology at BM Birla Heart Hospital. There is hardly any recovery time for medics, unlike other professionals, said Manipal Hospital infectious diseases physician Sayan Chakrabarty. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Como corrigir o encolhimento muscular (Faça isso antes de dormir) Revista do Homem Saiba Mais Undo "Other than treating patients, we must also deal with their families and convey information about the patients' progress. Often, when things go wrong, it becomes difficult to convince the kin and heated arguments ensue. There are hundreds of doctors who are not lucky enough to work in a protected environment, and we do feel insecure," said Chakrabarty. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Increased pressure has made scores of doctors quit the profession since Covid, said Fortis Hospital cardio-thoracic surgeon KM Mandana. A significant section of young doctors now regret joining the profession, said psychiatrist Jai Ranjan Ram. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Docs face diagnosis challenge as viral attacks overlap with season change allergies in Kolkata kids
Kolkata: With the onset of the monsoon triggering a sudden dip in temperature, a range of viruses was unleashed, causing cough, cold, and fever. However, viral attacks are being overlapped by allergies, especially in children, triggering similar symptoms that have left both patients and doctors confused. While many have symptoms of a cold along with fever, some have the same symptoms without fever. The latter is an indication of an allergy attack rather than a viral one, say doctors. "Allergies trigger a similar bout of cough and cold but are usually not accompanied by fever. Viruses like rhinovirus, influenza, and Covid, which are now in circulation, also cause fever, though it could be low. Around 10% to 15% are getting an allergy attack, but overlapping symptoms are making it difficult to diagnose," said internal medicine consultant, Arindam Biswas. "Allergies lead to swellings in the respiratory tract and the nostrils, which are also prone to viral attacks. Viruses get attracted to swollen areas very quickly, which means one can lead to the other," he explained. Manipal Hospitals infectious diseases physician, Sayan Chakrabarty cautioned that even a mild cough can be a sign that the child's body is reacting to something more than a virus. Thus, he advised patients to don't self-medicate. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Laxmi Ji Idol For Wealth, Peace & Happiness Luxeartisanship Shop Now Undo "A cold usually develops gradually and may come with a fever, while allergies strike suddenly, last longer, and don't cause a fever at all. During the monsoon, triggers like dust mites and mould can easily spark allergies ," said Vamsidhar Kedar, consultant paediatrician, Paediatric & Adult Allergist at Ankura Hospital for Women and Children, Hyderabad. Allergy attacks are often characterised by a series of sneezes in the morning, which doesn't recur during the rest of the day. Also, there could be body rashes, explained Chakrabarty. So, when should parents begin to worry? If your child keeps coughing without relief, sneezes mostly in the mornings, or wakes up congested day after day, it might not be just a cold, said Kedar, advising that children must not be taken to crowded places when there's a known outbreak. The infection was lasting two to three days for most children, said Fortis Hospital paediatrician Sumita Saha. "It was more severe for those below three years old. The rest are recovering quickly, though we have come across a fair number of allergy patients," she added.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Rise in Cov cases with mild symptoms, outbreak nears plateau: Docs
1 2 3 Kolkata: The number of Covid patients with mild symptoms shot up in Kolkata over the last week, indicating that the outbreak is about to reach a plateau and taper off with a subsequent dip, say experts. Several hospitals have already seen a drop in patients testing positive at their outpatient departments (OPD), while those testing positive now have very mild symptoms. Although very few of these patients were admitted, the rise in transmission would help to halt the spread, doctors said. "Once half the city's population gets the infection, numbers will start dipping. We saw a spurt last week, while the numbers have started dipping over the last three to four days. Most patients have very mild symptoms — low fever and cough — with a few getting respiratory tract infections that are manageable at home. The elderly with comorbidities continue to be admitted, but now their number should start dropping," said Manipal Hospital Dhakuria infectious diseases physician Sayan Chakrabarty. Peerless Hospital has seen a drop in number of patients for the first time since June 1. The hospital tested 65 patients between June 1 and 15, of whom 35 were positive. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo "While some, including kids, needed admission, most had mild symptoms and were treated at the OPD. The positivity rate was above 50% till Friday when just one tested positive. None tested positive on Saturday and Sunday," said Peerless chief microbiologist Bhaskar Narayan Chaudhury. CMRI Hospital has nine patients admitted, down from an average of 14 till last week. The current strain is very transmissible but triggers mild symptoms that led to a quick spread, said CMRI pulmonology director Raja Dhar. "Symptoms have been restricted to mild fever and cough for the vast majority, and they, of course, don't require admission. We have seen a proliferation of young patients with symptoms, which indicates that the spread has hastened and a plateau is imminent," added Dhar. He added that the hospital admitted just two patients in last four days and plans to start reducing the number of isolation beds by next week from the current 14 to six if the trend persists. Even though several patients are admitted at Fortis Hospital Anandapur, many more have been treated at the OPD and did not require admission, said Fortis pulmonologist Sushmita Roychowdhury. "Severe cases are still happening but have slid. Many more have mild symptoms now, which is an indication that we are finally heading towards a plateau," said Roychowdhury. Manipal Hospitals have multiple patients across its four units, including four at Dhakuria. "Barring a couple, the rest have severe lung or cardiac ailments or have hypertension and diabetes. They tested Covid positive on admission, but their symptoms are largely mild and manageable," added Chakrabarty. While the Dhakuria unit now has 10 Covid beds, including five at the ICU, the Mukundapur unit has five isolation cabins, and the Salt Lake unit has another five. Medica has isolation cabins with separate entry and exit points. Sources said both Medica and Mukundapur have elderly patients with comorbidities who tested positive on admission.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Why Covid diagnosis is difficult these days: Here's what doctors say as cases near 5,000
Covid-19 cases are rising once again in India, but this time, the symptoms are milder, something doctors say could be misleading and risky. According to a report by TOI, most patients in this new surge are showing only mild symptoms like a low-grade fever and light cough. Because these signs seem flu-like, many people are ignoring them and taking over-the-counter medicines instead of getting tested. Doctors, however, are warning against this. 'The mild symptoms are misleading. Many people delayed visiting a doctor until their fever wouldn't go away,' said Dr Raja Dhar, Director of Pulmonology at CMRI , as quoted by TOI. 'If you test positive, you must isolate, especially to protect elderly family members with other health issues. If symptoms last beyond four to five days, especially in older people, hospitalisation should be considered.' CMRI currently has seven Covid patients admitted. Live Events Dr Sayan Chakrabarty from Manipal Hospitals agreed, adding that many patients with persistent fever were later found to be Covid positive. 'Most of the cases are mild so far, and five of our Covid patients have already been discharged,' he said. Even among senior citizens, the symptoms are gentler compared to earlier waves. Pulmonologist Dr Soumya Sengupta from Charnock Hospital told TOI that Covid pneumonia has been rare this time. 'Most elderly patients who tested positive are in hospital for other health issues, and their Covid symptoms are quite mild,' he said. Experts believe that the JN.1 variant of Omicron is currently circulating. Dr Dhar explained that while this strain spreads quickly, it seems to be less dangerous. 'Still, if you test positive, it's best to isolate for five days and take medicines to ease the symptoms. Even mild Covid can trigger complications in people with existing heart or lung conditions,' he said. Doctors expect this wave to last only a few more weeks, but only if people stay alert and don't brush off the signs. Inputs from TOI
