Malaria patients start trickling in at Kol hosps; docs, clinics fear surge
Times of India | 21 July 2024
Kolkata: The first cases of malaria have been reported in pockets of south Kolkata even as the city has seen a sharp rise in severe influenza cases with overlapping symptoms. A private diagnostic clinic recorded 10 malaria cases in a week, while multiple samples tested in at least three private hospitals were positive. The number could rise over the next fortnight, fear physicians.
Ten samples tested positive for malaria at Apollo Clinic in Behala’s Shakuntala Park this week.The reports have sounded alarm in the neighbourhood, a known malaria-prone area. Scores were suffering from fever and symptoms common to both influenza and malaria, said Amitabha Dutta, general physician at Apollo. “While we have come across scores of patients with similar symptoms of high fever, body ache, rigour, nausea, mild diarrhoea and in some cases, breathing distress, some had a persistent high fever with slightly more severe symptoms that led us to test them for malaria. Ten of them tested positive and many more could follow the next few weeks,” said Dutta. “There has been a spread and the number could spiral.”
Three tested positive for malaria the last three days at Techno India DAMA Hospital. “This is the beginning of the malaria-dengue season and we are seeing a spurt in patients. We have got just one dengue patient so far. In the OPD, screening for malaria has increased by 20%,” said M S Purkait, medical superintendent of the hospital. He added scanty rain so far had kept the number in check. “Once we have more frequent showers, mosquito-breeding spots may proliferate, leading to more cases.”
An average of two-three malaria patients per week is reported at Charnock Hospital. “We have observed a notable increase in the number of patients with viral symptoms, including fever, cough and cold, which are often overlapping with malaria symptoms. Our team is attending to five-seven such cases daily. In addition to viral infections, we are also witnessing fluctuating cases of malaria,” said Charnock MD Prashant Sharma.
At Peerless Hospital, 72 samples were tested for malaria in last one week though none came positive. “Since multiple influenza and swine flu patients are admitted now, and scores of OPD patients have tested positive, those with overlapping symptoms are being tested for malaria. This is early monsoon and we are keeping fingers crossed,” said Peerless chief microbiologist Bhaskar Narayan Chaudhuri.
Most malaria patients were responding to chloroquine, the principal drug, said Dutta. “So far, my patients’ symptoms are manageable at home. Most had an obstinate fever that went only with chloroquine. High fever with rigour is the most common malaria symptom. Those with swine flu or other influenza strains are likely to have relatively mild fever and upper respiratory tract infections,” he said.
But experts said around 40% malaria patients in the city no longer responded to chloroquine. For them, the artemisinin group of drugs is used.