With the continued dry and chilled weather, the Islooites are being hit these days by the seasonal infections and diseases such as skin conditions, chest and throat infections, dry cough and common cold and they are frequenting the emergency and the outdoor patient departments (OPDs) of major hospitals in the capital.
One of major government-run hospitals in capital, Polyclinic Hospital is receiving almost around 400 patients daily who have been infected by seasonal diseases.
Dr Sharif Astori, a spokesperson for the Polyclinic, told Pakistan Today that nearly 400 patients suffering from seasonal diseases including throat infection, chest infection, dry cough and skin infection would daily visit the emergency wards whereas were being treated at the OPD. “Majority of them are children and older citizens who are more vulnerable to these harsh weather conditions,” he said.
Dr Zulfiqar Ghauri, the PIMS joint executive director, when contacted, said that among those infected, skin conditions chest infections and dry cough are common.
Dr Astori said people should take precautionary measures to protect themselves against seasonal diseases and they should take a balanced diet comprising eggs, milk, fish, broth and citrus fruits such as oranges.
“We advise our patients to stay warm and include a glass of milk, egg and broth in their regular diet,” said Dr Astori.
He said especially children and old people should be protected from the cold in the morning and evening when the weather gets colder and children should wear warm cloths when they are leaving for school early in the morning.
Health experts have also advised people travelling on motorbikes and cycles to wear windbreakers to protect themselves against wind.
They advised that one should avoid close contact with those infected with contagious conditions.
While highlighting the symptoms of seasonal flu, Dr Astori said that one could feel the symptoms like sudden fever, dry, chesty cough, headaches, tiredness, chills, aching muscles, limb or joint pain, sore throat, runny or blocked nose, sneezing, loss of appetite, and difficulty in sleeping.
“No rain also means more dust, which increases the chances of getting infections and any rainfall in the twin cities can drastically reduce the number of patients suffering from these seasonal infections,” he said.
