On Tuesday alone, Mumbai reported eight out of Maharashtra’s 11 new Covid-19 cases. But city doctors said there was no reason for panic as the cases were mostly mild and did not require hospitalisation.
Dr Shalmali Inamdar, an internal medicine specialist at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Andheri, said, “There has been a noticeable increase in Covid-19 cases over the past two weeks. But the cases are encountering exhibit mild symptoms such as runny nose, cough, cold and fever, which typically subside within a couple of days. Thankfully, all the cases are manageable at home.”
Doctors attributed the surge to the presence of the new variant as well as the dip in temperatures. Dr Pratit Samdani, an internal medicine consultant at Breach Candy Hospital, said the winter season usually brings about a rise in viral infections due to drop in temperatures. “We have seen a surge in cases of cough and cold, upper respiratory infection, and influenza in our outpatient department over the past two weeks. Some individuals required admission due to excessive wheezing, particularly the elderly and those with structural lung diseases. But Covid-19 cases are not predominant,” said Samdani.
With winter setting in, doctors said the number of cases may rise further. They advised vulnerable groups such as senior citizens and people with comorbidities to follow Covid-19 appropriate behaviour like wearing masks and avoiding crowded places.
Dr Neeraj Tulara, infectious disease expert, at Dr LH Hiranandani Hospital, Powai, said, “Wearing a mask and following Covid-19 protocols will safeguard the vulnerable from other infectious diseases like influenza, which is also on the rise.” Mumbai has recorded 19 new influenza cases out of 26 cases in the state over the past week.
Dr Subhash Salunke, who recently resigned as head of the state Covid-19 task force, said the viruses are here to stay and the state machinery needs to be strengthened. “Even if you have drugs and vaccines to combat the viruses, they are adaptive and are bound to stay. Our virus surveillance has to be strong to detect the mutated virus at the earliest. We need to continue with genetic testing and keep an eye on virulence and transmissibility,” he said.
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