Temperature swing triggers virus scare among examinees

KOLKATA: With board exams set to start in the next fortnight, a temperature fluctuation has triggered a spate of viral diseases, leading to a scare among students. Along with the common cough and cold, and viral fever, chickenpox and swine flu, too, are stalking the city. Thousands have been affected over the last one week, including youngsters preparing to take their boards and school exams.
Allergic cough, sneezing and persistent low fever have been the most common symptoms so far.The viral outbreak has been triggered by the sudden rise of mercury last week, said experts.
“The temperature spiralled by about four degrees and then dropped, activating the viruses. We are approaching the end of winter, which is conducive for viral infections. This time, a late winter temperature fluctuation has led to an early outbreak. Unfortunately, this is the board exam month and students have reason to worry,” said RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences consultant Arindam Biswas.
The Madhyamik examination begins on February 12, ICSE exam commences on February 22 and ISC on February 4.
Along with viruses like rhino, gastrointestinal viruses like echovirus, coxsackie virus and rota virus could be on the prowl due to the temperature fluctuations, felt doctors. While coxsackie affects the adults, children are more prone to rota. Rhino spreads very quickly at public places.
“Coughing and sneezing are allergic reactions common at this time of the year. They make it easy for viruses to penetrate the system and the latter proliferates inside the body,” said Biswas.
Upper respiratory tract infections have also become common, said Fortis Hospital internal medicine consultant Joydeep Ghosh. He pointed out that common cold outbreaks were usual at this time of the year. “This winter, we had a prolonged chilly spell during which the mercury has been consistently low. Suddenly, the temperature shot up by a few degrees and then has dropped again. This fluctuation has activated the viruses and led to this outbreak. While temperature fluctuations are common in the end of January and that’s when the diseases strike, we had another one in mid-January this time, which is unusual” said Ghosh.
Chickenpox cases have already been reported from various parts of Kolkata and doctors believe it has struck early. “Till some years back, chickenpox would strike in end-February and early March. Now, it strikes at the fag-end of winter which is late January. This has put board examines at risk. In have come across at least two youngsters who had an attack last week,” said Biswas.
Chickenpox is triggered by the virus varicella zoster, which also causes herpes. The symptoms are easily recognizable. A patient may have fever with skin rashes and blisters all over the body, particularly chest, back and the face. It is a highly contagious air-borne disease that spreads with sneeze and cough of an infected person. “Usually, those with a lower immunity are more susceptible to a second attack of chickenpox,” pointed out consultant AMRI Hospital consultant Debashish Saha.
Several swine flu cases, too, have been reported in recent weeks from across Kolkata. Even though it is rarer than pox or the ordinary viral attack, it could be crippling for a student preparing to take an exam.
Temperature fluctuation could continue this week, predicted the Met office. A western disturbance set to form over north-west India could trigger rain in the city later this week. “It will cut off the northwesterly wind and bring in easterly winds from the sea that will pull the mercury up to 17°C by Friday. “We expect rain in Kolkata on Friday,” said Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) director GK Das.