Feverless flu with throat & body ache strikes hundreds across Kol
Times of India | 17 September 2025A majority of these patients have influenza B, which is the dominant viral strain now, along with influenza A, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), typhoid and hepatitis. At least one private hospital has reported a case of swine flu (H1N1).
The spate of infections has kept occupancy at most private hospitals above 80%.
"I have come across many suffering from weakness, lethargy, and severe throat pain, though they don't have fever.
While the symptoms are not severe enough for hospitalization, they are refusing to recede for five-seven days. The throat pain has been the most dominant symptom, along with a lingering cough," said Manipal Hospital infectious diseases physician Sayan Chakrabarty. Manipal has an occupancy of around 80% across its five units.
Influenza B symptoms have reversed over the last week, said Desun Hospital critical care director Amitabha Saha.
"The usual sequence is a low fever, followed by throat pain, body ache and weakness. This time, throat pain is the first symptom with body ache striking later. While many have had very low fever, some had a sudden spike in temperature after a persisting throat pain," said Saha.
"Many patients are presenting with upper respiratory tract symptoms, inflammation of mucus membranes, severe throat inflammation and pain, followed by fever for 48-72 hours.
The dry, hacking, irritable cough persists even after other symptoms, including a low fever, subside," said Saibal Ghosh, senior consultant, respiratory medicine, Charnock Hospital.
The absence of fever has delayed treatment, with many going for over-the-counter medicines for throat pain. "But it has worsened it and led to a persistent cough. Over the last week, our OPD has seen an average of 15 patients daily, with fever, throat and body pain — symptoms of Influenza B.
Many have low or no fever. This trend can be attributed to day-night temperature variation," said BP Poddar Hospital physician Abhijit Aich Bhaumik.
The hospital has 95% occupancy.
Peerless Hospital has been receiving a steady stream of influenza B patients, followed by those with influenza A, RSV, and bacterial infections. It has a swine flu patient and treated two cholera patients in the last two weeks. "Influenza B has replaced influenza A as the leading infection," said Peerless Hospital chief microbiologist Bhaskar Narayan Chaudhury.
The hospital has 85% occupancy, said CEO Sudipta Mitra.
"Our occupancy constantly remains high due to high-morbidity diseases, and topping our chart of diagnosis is acute coronary syndrome, followed by kidney disease, respiratory tract infections, heart failure, and acute GE syndrome," said Rupali Basu, Group CEO, Charnock Hospital.
Techno DAMA Hospital has seen a 10%-15% occupancy spike in a week. "Many are getting admitted with typhoid, COPD and pneumonia. Our fever clinic and respiratory OPDs are full," said M S Purkait, medical superintendent, Techno India DAMA.
