PANAJI
Goa is continuing to witness the usual seasonal rise in coughs, colds and influenza-like illnesses associated with the monsoon, but health authorities have said there is no cause for alarm and these cases are expected to decline during the second half of September.
A senior health official said the increase in infections is a recurring annual phenomenon driven by weather conditions that favour the spread of viruses.
“It is true that cases have risen. But this happens every year beginning mid-monsoon when climatic conditions are favourable to viruses which cause them. In September, the cases will also begin to fall,” the official said.
According to health experts, July and August are typically the peak months for viral respiratory infections.
“This wave of colds, coughs and flu happens in the peak monsoon months because of viruses. Major outbreaks such as the H1N1 swine flu epidemic in 2009 and Covid-19 in 2020 were also virus-driven,” a doctor said.
Doctors, however, have advised the public not to treat persistent symptoms lightly and to seek professional medical advice.
At the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), around a dozen patients with severe symptoms are being identified daily in the outpatient department, according to a consultant from the General Medicine Department.
“The condition is particularly severe among children. However, there is nothing to worry about if people seek timely medical advice. Ignoring symptoms, assuming they are part of a common cold, or resorting to self-medication can be dangerous and may lead to complications such as pneumonia,” the doctor said.
People suffering from underlying health conditions have been urged to remain especially vigilant, as they are more vulnerable to complications arising from viral infections.
Meanwhile, the Health Department has issued advisories to Urban Health Centres and Primary Health Centres across the State to step up public awareness efforts.
The advisories emphasise basic preventive measures that became widely familiar during the Covid-19 pandemic: Frequent hand-washing, maintaining personal hygiene and wearing face masks outdoors, especially in crowded areas, to reduce the risk of infections.
Health officials said most respiratory viruses spread through contact, making hand hygiene one of the most effective preventive measures.
While the current seasonal surge is being closely monitored, authorities maintain that it remains within expected levels and is likely to ease as the monsoon season draws to a close.
