CHENNAI: The pandemic ended nearly three years ago, but hospitals in the city continue to report sporadic cases of Covid-19, along with influenza A and other respiratory disorders throughout the year. This indicates that the virus is in circulation, reaching an endemic stage. The number of fever cases in the city has decreased drastically in April compared to March.
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"We had one of the longest flu seasons in 2024. Fever cases began in August 2024 and continued till March," said infectious diseases expert Dr V Ramasubramanian from Apollo Hospitals. The city has seen a cocktail of viral infections, including common flu, H1N1, Covid-19, and respiratory infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus and adenovirus. "SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19, has been circulating since 2020. We continue to see cases throughout the year with occasional peaks," he said.
In April, fever cases dropped by more than 50%, but the types of fevers have changed too. For instance, nearly 80% of the fever cases at Apollo Hospitals were influenza B cases compared to less than 20% between August and March. Most hospitals report similar trends. "Throughout, we have been seeing Covid-19 cases," he said. .
State public health laboratory also reports an increase in influenza B cases. In December, only 23.4% of the fever cases tested positive for influenza B. While 44.2% were H1N1, 9% were RSV, 7.8% were H2N3, and 6.5% were Covid-19. "We continue to see around the same number of Covid cases," a senior public health official said.