6 Monsoon Fevers that Need Your Attention

Posted on: Aug 29, 2022 | | Written by:

6 Monsoon Fevers that Need Your Attention

Summers in India are usually scorching, humid and unbearable. Which is why, monsoons come as a massive relief, with heavy grey clouds, soul-soothing rains, gorgeous greenery all around, and the smell of wet earth. On the flip side, it brings different kinds of fevers and infections that both young and old people might easily catch. So, it is important for everyone to have adequate health insurance, so that medical emergencies don’t leave you high and dry.And you should also do what you can to prevent the following monsoon fevers.

1. Malaria:

The oldest of all mosquito-borne infections and something which has been plaguing India for centuries now, malarial fever can be easily treated. As per a WHO report from 2019, India has 3% of the total malaria burden in the world. The country has seen good progress though, and since 2017, there has been a 49% reduction in the number of cases and 50.5% in the number of deaths. The common symptoms of malaria include fever, chills, general feeling of discomfort, headache, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and/or muscle or joint pain etc. To protect yourself, regularly use mosquito repellents and mount nets on beds. Clear any water logging near you, so that the mosquito population cannot grow.

2. Dengue:

This is another fever that can be linked to the widespread mosquito infestation in the country.In India,as per reports, there were 1.64 lakh cases of dengue in 2021 which was lower than the 2.05 lakh cases that were reported in 2019. The only silver lining here is that the case fatality rate with dengue remains at a low level of 0.1 percent. The common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, rashes, and/or different kinds of aches and pains (eye pain, typically behind the eyes, muscle, joint, or bone pain). Preventive measures are same as malaria.

3. Chikungunya:

Continuing with the list of mosquito-borne diseases that rear their ugly heads in monsoon, chikungunya is another addition. This is a viral disease caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV). The infection was first found in Tanzania but spread across the globe very fast. In 2019, there were 81914 suspected cases of this infection in India, as per reports. Of these, 12205 were confirmed in lab tests. Common symptoms of the fever include an abrupt onset of fever, frequently accompanied by joint pain. These may appear anywhere from 2 to 12 days after the bite. As with other mosquito-borne diseases, the same preventive and protective measures are applicable.

4. Typhoid:

This is a water-borne disease which occurs because of limited access to clean drinking water. While it has mostly been eliminated from developed countries, the developing world still has many cases of typhoid. In 2017, India saw an estimated 8.3 million cases and 72,000 deaths, which is more than half of the 14.3 million global cases of enteric fever. Common symptoms include low starting fever that tends to grow, headache, weakness and fatigue, muscle aches, sweating, dry cough, along with loss of appetite and weight loss and stomach pain that is coupled with extremely swollen tummy. Precautions include regular washing of hands and food stuff as well as drinking only clean water.

5. Leptospirosis:

This is another bacterial disease which has come up time and again in India. The spread of the disease has been extensive in South India, with a positivity rate of 25.6%. On the other hand, other parts were safer with 8.3%, 3.5%, 3.1%, and 3.3% rates in northern, western, eastern and central India, respectively. The common symptoms include headache, high fever, chills, muscle aches, vomiting, jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), red eyes as well as abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Protection measures include not walking barefoot, avoiding swimming in water that may be contaminated etc.

6. Viral Fever:

This is a non-COVID type viral fever which is known to spread widely and easily in monsoon. The good thing is that this fever responds well to antiviral medications. Symptoms include fever, cough and cold.

Conclusion

Monsoon is surely a fun season and one which cools the earth after hot summer months. But it is important to take extra care of your health when it rains too. So, do the needful to prevent the above fevers and make sure you get adequate health insurance. Maintaining hygiene, using mosquito repellents, avoiding waterlogging, and eating healthy and home-cooked foods are the best ways to stay safe.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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