Sudden temperature swing behind spurt in ailments

PUNE: The sudden rise in day and night temperatures over the last ten days has resulted in a spurt of ailments in the city. While the meteorological department has forecast this trend to prevail till the end of this week, doctors have advised people to stay hydrated and maintain proper diet.
According to city-based doctors, the sudden fluctuation in temperature makes the human body more susceptible to infections.
Physician Aniket Joshi said: "The human body takes time to adapt to climatic changes. Earlier, this used to happen gradually over a period of two to three weeks, but now the changes take place in a short span. And when this is coupled with the fluctuation in body temperature caused by the in-and-out of air-conditioned rooms and offices, it makes body all the more vulnerable to infections."
Joshi also highlighted another worrying trend among patients. He said: "The time difference between the onset of a disease and it turning critical has reduced. Therefore, it becomes imperative for people to take adequate rest, stay hydrated and ensure sufficient intake of food."
Another doctor, Mufaddal Zakir, said, "What we are experiencing these days is transitional temperature which is causing cold, cough, fever, allergies, diarrhoea and general uneasiness among people. The problem is definitely more prevalent among senior citizens who find it rather difficult to adjust to the changes in weather conditions."
Kothrud-based doctor Mukund Penurkar said, "There has been a surge in the number of patients visiting my clinic these days. Dengue too is rampant this year and this trend is likely to continue for at least another two-three weeks."