Cold-weather flu strain continues into summer, lays Kolkata low
Times of India | 9 April 2025
Kolkata: The city has been reeling under intense heat and humid weather with the arrival of summer but influenza B cases, which spike mostly during the monsoon and colder months, have refused to bow out.
"At present, three children are being treated for influenza B infection in the PICU at ICH, including a girl in ventilation. Another child is being treated for the same in the PICU at Manipal Mukundapur. It is quite surprising that cases are still persisting despite the summer heat," said Prabhas Prasun Giri, the PICU in-charge at the Institute of Child Health, Kolkata.
A highly contagious virus, influenza B spreads through the droplets of an infected person. While some can experience only mild symptoms similar to that of common cold, the virus can manifest severe symptoms, especially in children whose immunity is yet to develop fully and in older adults with low immunity.
"We detected a total of nine influenza B cases in March and two this month, mostly in children. This virus causes upper respiratory infection in the majority of cases and is quite contagious. Even as this virus is common during winter and the rainy season, we are still getting cases now," said microbiologist Bhaskar Narayan Chaudhuri of Peerless Hospital.
Doctors said influenza infection can cause symptoms like fever, cough, cold, body ache, fatigue, and chills. In severe cases, the disease could lead to complications like pneumonia, bronchitis, and respiratory failure.
"The number of cases detected in our labs has remained unchanged in the past two to three months. Previously, people would not come forward for testing. But post-Covid, there is an increasing awareness of the need to test, and hence this also could be one of the reasons for these persisting numbers," said molecular pathologist Abhirup Sarkar, director of Suraksha Diagnostic chain.
While this viral infection can exhibit mild symptoms in the majority of cases and most do not need hospital care, what is puzzling doctors is that the symptoms are lingering for long. A vaccine-preventable infection, influenza B is affecting older children mostly, unlike the adenovirus outbreak a couple of years ago when the affected were mainly younger kids. Doctors said that school-going children are the most vulnerable as the virus can transmit from one child to another easily. Precautions like hand hygiene and wearing a mask could prevent contracting the infection.
"The number of cases is not high, and we need not press the panic button yet. But we are keeping a vigil so that any spike is noted on time and action is initiated for prevention," said a senior health official.