Viral Fever of �Mixed Culture' Spreading Rapidly in Gurgaon

Health officials in Haryana revealed that an outbreak of a viral fever of �mixed culture' is increasing rapidly in Gurgaon, even as there have been unconfirmed reports of some deaths.

"This is the first time that patients suffering viral fevers are showing positive test reports of viral, malaria and typhoid simultaneously. In most cases, patients tested negative for dengue but showed all the symptoms of dengue viral," said doctor S.P. Yadav, managing director of Pushpanjali Hospital.

Doctor Vishal Sehgal, medical superintendent of Artemis hospital told IANS: "Lots of patients tested negative for dengue but the symptoms were the same. We call it fever with 'Thrombocytopenia' or fever with mixed culture. The virus responsible for such a disease is yet to be detected."

Daily, 8 to 10 such patients, victims of unspecified causes were being admitted to their hospital, Sehgal added.

Doctor Ashok Chordiya, director of Fortis Memorial Research Institute here told IANS that that while too many patients with viral fever were admitted to hospitals, they could not be declared to be of 'epidemic proportions'. He said that the number of such patients would increase in the coming days.

"Mosquitoes alone are not the only reason behind the spread of such disease, people living in hostels or working in groups can transfer it to their counterparts," Dr. Chordiya added.

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of the government-run civil hospital said that his department had been organizing awareness camps in the institutional as well as residential sectors for prevention of vector born diseases.

"Platelets may decline in viral fevers other than dengue. Dengue is also a one of the viruses. But there is nothing serious. The situation is completely under control," the CMO added.

Source: IANS