Hospitals across the city have reported a sharp rise in flu cases over the past two to three weeks. Patients are commonly presenting with high fever, cough, sore throat, body ache, headache, and weakness.
Longer Recovery Period Noted
Doctors explain that while most cases remain mild, recovery this season is taking longer than usual. A small proportion of patients, particularly the elderly and those with comorbidities, require hospitalisation.
According to Dr. Suranjeet Chatterjee, senior consultant, Internal Medicine, Apollo Hospital, the recovery period depends on the severity of infection, individual immunity, and underlying health conditions.
“While many recover within three to five days, in some cases recovery may extend to seven days or more, especially if complications arise. About 2–5% of patients need hospitalisation. Even after recovery, lingering cough, weakness, and reduced appetite are common,” he said.
Predominant Strain Observed at Max Hospital
At Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, doctors have observed a similar surge. “In the past two weeks, more than half of OPD patients with fever have shown flu-like symptoms. While we do not test every case, H3N2 appears to be the predominant strain,” said Dr. Rommel Tickoo, director, Internal Medicine.
He noted that many patients present with high-grade fever resistant to paracetamol, throat pain, cough, headache, and body ache. While most recover within five to seven days, a significant number develop bronchitis leading to a persistent cough, and a few progress to pneumonia requiring hospital care. “Even after recovery, patients often continue to feel fatigued and experience appetite loss,” he added.
Vaccination Strongly Recommended
Dr. Tickoo emphasised the importance of prevention. “This is a timely reminder that annual flu vaccination is strongly recommended, especially for high-risk groups, to reduce both severity and spread of influenza,” he advised.
Steady Increase at Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute
As reported by TOI, the trend is consistent at Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, where doctors are treating 15–18 flu patients daily. Most present with fever, sore throat, cough, body ache, nasal and chest congestion and occasional gastrointestinal infections, said Dr. Arvind Aggarwal, senior consultant, Internal Medicine.
He explained that this year’s flu appears more severe than in previous seasons. Many patients continue to suffer from persistent cough and fatigue even after fever subsides. While most recover within a week, cough and weakness may last up to two weeks. A small fraction of patients—particularly elderly individuals, young children, and those with pre-existing heart or lung conditions—develop severe symptoms such as breathlessness or bluish lips and nails, requiring hospitalisation.
Seasonal Trend Calls for Caution
Doctors across hospitals agree that the current surge aligns with seasonal flu patterns that peak during the monsoon. They urge timely medical consultation, adequate rest, hydration, and extra caution for vulnerable groups to minimise complications.