Hyderabad: Multi-morbidity cases on rise in City

Hyderabad: Adding to the Covid-19 spread, seasonal diseases are joining the virus, leading to increase in multi-morbidity cases in Hyderabad. A combination of typhoid and Corona is taking the first place in such cases. Says Dr Shoba, RMO, Gandhi Hospital: "In my personal experience, Covid is often confused with typhoid. Some people have both when they get tested.

A large group of patients in Hyderabad had both typhoid and Corona attack, with symptoms like fever, vomiting and diarrhoea. We are also observing symptoms in patients like chills and platelet count dropping, which are also identified with viral diseases, like malaria and dengue.

She stated that "according to symptoms, we are prescribing tests. We see a large group of people being attacked with multi-morbidity. Hence, we suggest to people not to get exposed to contaminated water, unhygienic surroundings and unhealthy food, which cause infection, as these are the prime sources of viral infections. Keeping self and surroundings clean is the only way to prevent these diseases," she added.

Explaining the multi-morbidity situation in City, Dr Rohit of Osmania Hospital, said: "In the beginning we observed typhoid in Covid patients. Now seasonal diseases are also being seen in them. We are often confused with seasonal diseases and Covid, as Corona symptoms are also co-related to different viral diseases, as the mutant is taking different stages. Hence, we are prescribing to patients to take both tests (Covid-19 and seasonal diseases like malaria and dengue) depending on their symptoms", say some City doctors.

"If a patient has high fever, vomitting and diarrhoea, it is 98 per cent sure case of typhoid. If a Covid patient has all these symptoms, tests are reported positive on a large scale. At the same time, if a Corona patient has chills and if he takes malaria test the report is positive in 70 per cent cases.

That's how we realised that multi-morbidity cases are rising. The Covid patients, with a drop in blood platelets count, must also go for a dengue test, as we suspect, they might have both diseases. As monsoon is ahead, we must be prepared for all these ailements. We are trying to make people to be aware of the diseases," said Dr Venkateshwar, a physician.

"If Covid infection is neglected, it might also affect blood vessels and lead to different neurological problems," he added.