Fever cases in city drop, but flu and Covid cases still turn up

Time of India

22-04-2025

Chennai: The pandemic ended nearly three years ago, but hospitals in the city continue to report sporadic cases of Covid-19, along with influenza A and other respiratory disorders throughout the year.
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This indicates that the virus is in circulation, reaching an endemic stage. The number of fever cases in the city has decreased drastically in April compared to March.
"We had one of the longest flu seasons in 2024. Fever cases began in August 2024 and continued till March," said infectious diseases expert Dr V Ramasubramanian from Apollo Hospitals. The city has seen a cocktail of viral infections, including common flu, H1N1, Covid-19, and respiratory infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus and adenovirus.
"SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19, has been circulating since 2020. We continue to see cases throughout the year with occasional peaks," he said.
In April, fever cases dropped by more than 50%, but the types of fevers have changed too. For instance, nearly 80% of the fever cases at Apollo Hospitals were
influenza B cases
compared to less than 20% between August and March. Most hospitals report similar trends. "Throughout, we have been seeing Covid-19 cases," he said.
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State public health laboratory also reports an increase in influenza B cases. In December, only 23.4% of the fever cases tested positive for influenza B. While 44.2% were H1N1, 9% were RSV, 7.8% were H2N3, and 6.5% were Covid-19. "We continue to see around the same number of Covid cases," a senior public health official said.
Most people have similar symptoms with high fever, fatigue and sore throat. Only tests can reveal the type of infection, doctors said.
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While tests are not done for people with mild symptoms, doctors recommend tests for people with severe symptoms, particularly the elderly, pregnant women, or people with chronic diseases. "The most common panel tests if patients have influenza, RSV, or Covid-19," said infectious diseases expert Dr Subramanian Swaminathan of Gleneagles Healthcity. "Increased tests are also one of the reasons why we see so many cases," he said.
Doctors, however, say complications and deaths due to Covid-19 or other viral infections are still low. "Complications and deaths are higher among the elderly and people with chronic conditions. There is no increase in the fatality rate," said director of public health Dr T S Selvavinayagam.