Cough & cold cases up 40%, say NCR docs, as they prepare for H3N2

Cases of cough and cold here have increased by about 40 per cent in the last few months. The Noida Health Department conducted a study involving 3,500 patients in the last three weeks wherein 660 patients showed Covid-like symptoms. However, Covid-19 was not confirmed on antigen test in any of the patients. Experts have linked it to the fast growing influenza H3N2. A person sick with influenza gets cured in around three days, but suffers from cold and cough till at least 3-4 weeks. In a conversation with IANS, Senior Physician and Diabetologist Dr Amit Kumar apprised that there is a lot of difference between Influenza H3N2 and Covid. He said that even though the symptoms of both the diseases are similar, Covid-19 spreads more easily than flu. He explained that the influenza comes under viral fever and many patients that come to see him suffer from fever, and the second common symptom seen in such patients is cough. He apprised that 92 per cent of the patients suffer from fever, while 86 per cent suffer from cold and 16 per cent experience shortness of breath. Kumar said that a person should consult the doctor if they observe the symptoms. He added that the situation becomes fatal if the people get medicines directly from local chemist shops, since antibiotics end up doing more harm. He said that taking doses of antibiotics should be avoided in this regard. Kumar added that one should wear a mask in crowded places. While coughing and sneezing, the mouth and nose should be covered completely. Along with this, touching the eyes and nose repeatedly should be avoided since the virus enters the body through hands. He added that any medicine, even antibiotics should not be taken without consulting the doctor and special attention should be paid while consuming medicines. According to physicians, viral infection can easily spread from one person to another. When a person infected with influenza coughs or sneezes, its droplets can spread up to one metre in the air and can infect a healthy person. Doctors believe that the risk of its spread is the highest in crowded places.