Ahmedabad: The city has endured nearly two months of temperatures at or above 40°C, and the combination of relentless heat and high humidity has led to a rise in viral infections, with symptoms including respiratory illness and fatigue.Dr Maharshi Desai, an internal medicine specialist, said the cases are a mix of heat-related symptoms and viral infections. “They both often come with symptoms including headache, body ache, nausea, vomiting, and vertigo. The city has seen sustained high temperatures during both day and night. This season has also brought cases of upper respiratory tract infections and fever linked to viral infections,” he said.With the summer vacation coming to an end, those returning from hill stations and the Himalayan region are also reporting viral infections, said Dr Dhiren Mehta, a physician. “It is likely due to cross-infection and change in weather conditions. Bronchitis with incessant coughing is observed in some patients, while several also report body aches,” he said.Dr R C Damani, an internal medicine specialist, said that post-viral fatigue syndrome is being observed among several recovering patients. “It is a condition marked by persistent, debilitating exhaustion and other symptoms that can continue for days or weeks after recovery from the primary viral infection. A general sense of not feeling well sets in, along with dizziness, sore throat, and exhaustion. We ask such patients not to exert themselves,” he said.Conjunctivitis, usually associated with the monsoon months, has also persisted through this period, said Dr Manish Rawal, an ophthalmologist and surgeon. “In one instance, four women from the same family developed conjunctivitis after visiting a beautician ahead of a wedding. Unlike most cases, which clear up with medication within a few days, their infection affected both the conjunctiva and cornea for more than a month,” he said, adding that they were given steroids, unusual for such cases, because of the persistent symptoms.
