Cool mornings, hot days and chickenpox in Pune

Even as the rising mercury has left the citizens nothing to ‘chill’ about, doctors’ advice is to enjoy the warmth, but do not ignore skin rashes.

Reason: Patients suffering from chickenpox infections — a highly contagious disease — are increasingly visiting clinics since last fortnight. Doctors say that this ailment, that usually sets in during the last few days of February or early March, began a few days earlier this year.

“The cases are still sporadic but usually begin during the first week of March. That’s when winter starts fading and summer begins to set in, the ideal time for chickenpox infections to happen. What is important is that the bulk of infections are amongst the adult population, busting the myth that it affects the young. In fact, with better vaccine coverage amongst paediatric patients, the numbers are dropping. But adults who didn’t have access to vaccine are reporting with infections,” said Dr Avinash Bhondwe, a family physician who practices in Shivajinagar area.

Koregaon Park-based Dr SZ Anwar said, “What is important is that the infection is in a mild form in children and severe in adults. The disease is contagious and might progress to such severity that it requires hospitalisation.”

“The disease spreads by direct contact or through air from an infected person’s coughing or sneezing. Touching the fluid from a chickenpox blister can also spread the disease,” said Camp-based Dr Hillary Rodrigues.