Doctors in Hyderabad Urge Caution Over Severe H1N1 and Flu Symptoms

Senior doctors and public health experts in Hyderabad have urged residents across Telangana, particularly vulnerable populations, not to dismiss viral fever symptoms as minor illnesses amid a surge in respiratory infections.

The warning comes as cases of influenza, Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI), Influenza-Like Illness (ILI), and H1N1 continue to rise in neighbouring states, including Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. Health professionals noted that Telangana is likely to follow a similar trajectory.

According to medical experts, the current circulating strain of H1N1 is presenting severe clinical complications. Patients are experiencing high-grade fevers unresponsive to antipyretics, severe week-long coughs, and dangerous drops in blood oxygen saturation levels falling as low as 75 percent. In severe cases, doctors have observed febrile delirium—a neurological reaction causing confusion, disorientation, or hallucinations—as well as seizures in children.

Physicians have advised patients to seek immediate medical attention if they experience breathlessness, chest pain, low oxygen levels, worsening fever, confusion, severe weakness, or dehydration.

Unlike facilities in Karnataka and Maharashtra, government hospitals in Telangana currently do not offer instant diagnostic tests for H1N1, standard influenza, or SARI and ILI cases. Because rapid testing is unavailable in state-run hospitals, medical practitioners urged individuals displaying symptoms not to wait for test results before consulting a qualified doctor.

The Directorate of Public Health (DPH), Telangana, has issued an advisory to help residents guard against airborne infections. State health authorities have been monitoring ILI and SARI cases over recent weeks following directions from the Union Health Ministry. Senior doctors reiterated that high-risk groups—including children, pregnant women, the elderly, and individuals with co-morbidities—should prioritise annual vaccination and seek prompt medical care to avoid secondary bacterial complications.