Severe heatwave sparks fever outbreak in Oman |

A sudden spike in the temperature has caused a surge in people complaining about viral fever across Muscat, say doctors.

Hospitals in the city have been receiving patients of all age groups, male and female, with viral fever, running nose and a sore throat for the past week.

Apart from prescribing medicines, doctors are advising patients to focus on personal hygiene to prevent further spread of the viral to others in the family and at work places.

Talking to the Times of Oman, Dr Pradeep Maheshwari, specialist of internal medicine at the Atlas Hospital, Ruwi, said that more than the usual number of people were complaining about the viral fever and cold.

“This health condition has resulted in sudden increase in the temperature. In such a climate when the temperature fluctuates, the chances of viral infection increases,” he said.

Now that people have come back from vacations abroad or from their home countries, or from foreign tours where weather conditions were very different and where even their children had accompanied them, they are becoming infected by the viral fever.

Their children have also joined schools and some of them have also been complaining of fever and cold. This happens almost every year with slightly different intensity, he said.

Maheshwari said that in normal cases, such an infection goes away in a few days or a week’s time, depending on an individual’s body condition. Only in some cases, anti-biotic medicines are required.

However, if there are more complications, such as difficulty in breathing, they should immediately consult a doctor, he said.

However, as a preventive measure, they should avoid exposure to extreme temperatures or drinking water that is too cold or hot. They should avoid sudden switch from very low temperature to high temperature areas too frequently, he said.

Dr Asha G Pillai, an intern at the Badr Al Samaa Hospital, Ruwi, also said that a lot of people have suddenly started coming complaining of sore throat, cold and fever which in most cases is being diagnosed as a case of viral infection. She said that apart from medicines, it was important to focus on personal hygiene.

“People should play safe and immediately consult a doctor to seek the right advice and prevent further complications. Though such cases happen almost every year, this health condition, however, should not be ignored as it is painful and can get prolonged if timely medicines and expert advice is not taken,” said Pillai.

Sujith Mathew, an Indian who had brought his son to the doctor, said the child had fever and cold for two days, and could not go to school.

The doctor had given him some medicines and advised that he should stay at home for a couple of more days since he required rest and must not allow the infection to spread among his classmates. Because of his current health condition, his son was neither able to focus on studies nor games, he said.

Abdul Hai, a Pakistani site engineer, said that he suddenly had fever after working under the sun. He said, “I was feeling uncomfortable due to the temperature difference at my air conditioned house and at the work place under the sun. These days, temperature outside is also high and I was expecting that I would fall sick.”

Suad Al Balushi, an Omani housewife, said that her daughter had gone to school but in the evening, “we found that she was having fever.”

“The doctor told us to keep her at home for a few days, and take some medicines. We have been asked to look after her and that she must adhere to the preventive measures as advised by the doctor. She is a small child and we have to look after her,” she said.

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