While COVID-19 pandemic is the major healthcare concern this year, the cases of dengue and other vector-borne diseases in the State have remained comparatively low. However, after the recent monsoon rain in Chennai, doctors at ICH are seeing at least five cases in a week from several parts of the city.

A senior paediatrician from the hospital said they were seeing at least a case or two of dengue fever every other day. The cases are reported mostly from Royapuram, Washermenpet, Tondiarpet and Tiruvottiyur. Doctors suspect this could be because the residents there collected rainwater, which is leading to the breeding of mosquitoes that spread the fever.

“Children who test positive for dengue mostly report symptoms such as mild fever, fatigue and joint pain. There are other symptoms like diarrhoea and vomitting. Though dengue cases are not being reported in high in numbers like in the past years and the risk of outbreak is less, precautionary measures have to be taken,” said Dr Mohan Kumar, paediatrician at the ICH. Dr S Ezhilarasi, the director of the institute, said dengue numbers are less this year as the schools remained closed due to the lockdown. However, they have started appeared after the rain. “It’s not just the numbers that are less, but the severity of the disease is also low. Earlier, the children would suffer from seizure and haemorrhagic fever due to dengue. However, all the current patients are stable,” she added.