Delhi NCR witnessing its worst bout of viral fever/ flu symptoms and COVID with 8 out of 10 households affected in last 30 days

Aug 19, 2022, New Delhi: Delhi government’s frequent reports we are not as yet clear of Covid risk though the general public behavior seems to have shed the fear. This is at a time when risk of viral fever or influenza is rampant. As many as 8 in 10 Delhi households have reported on the LocalCircles platform that one or more members of their family has had COVID like symptoms i.e. fever, runny nose, fatigue, etc.

In most cases, people seem to be opting for home kits to test if they have Covid or whether it is a case of viral fever. Whatever the case may be, both carry the risk of spreading to other family members, particularly the children and those not of robust health.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor-G VK Saxena has been constantly appealing to people in the national capital to follow Covid appropriate behaviour. “It is essential that we realize that the pandemic is far from over. I appeal to all to strictly adhere to Covid appropriate behaviour. We cannot afford to let our guards down,” said Saxena, on August 16. The advisory came as Delhi reported 917 fresh cases of Covid , a test positivity rate of 20% and three deaths due to it. Apart from Covid, medical practitioners and hospitals are reporting a growing number of viral or flu cases. In most of these cases, people have been complaining of a runny nose, headache, sore throat and fatigue. Some people are also reported to be down with fever.

To understand the magnitude of the spread and risk, LocalCircles conducted a survey amongst residents of Delhi and NCR cities of Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad which received over 11,000 responses. 63% of the respondents were men while 37% were women.

Over 8 in 10 households of Delhi NCR surveyed have had 1 or more members impacted by vrial/flu like symptoms in the last 30 days

To the survey question “How many individuals do you have in your household in Delhi NCR who either in the last 30 days or currently have one or more flu/viral fever symptoms like fever, runny nose, cough, headache, bodyache, etc.,” over 8 in 10 households reported one or more individuals to have been affected. Of these, 54% households have reported 2-3 family members having or recovered from flu in the last one months, while another 23% households have had four or more family members affected, 8% households had one member down with flu like symptoms. Only 15% respondents to the survey reported that their households had no members affected.

Number of Delhi NCR residents with viral/flu type symptoms in July-August have more than doubled in 2022 as compared to 2021

While flu like symptoms and viral fever are not uncommon during monsoon season, this year the number of households affected have doubled as compared to last year. While 41% households of Delhi NCR had 1 or more members impacted last year, this year the percentage has doubled to 82% households.

In summary, 8 in 10 Delhi NCR households have 1 or more individuals who have had viral/flu like symptoms in the last 30 days and this year’s magnitude of spread is twice of that of same period last year when only 4 in 10 households had someone impacted. With public places, offices, schools all open, and a high test positivity rate of nearly 20% for COVID with low testing might also mean that many are experiencing COVID infection which is going untested and unreported. The spread of COVID in July-August 2021 was low post the Delta wave but with Omicron, Delhi NCR seems to be in constant state of infection with BA.1 & BA.2 in January and April, BA.2.12.1 and BA.2.38 in June and now with BA.2.75. The need of the hour is for citizens to observe masking and social distancing and minimise COVID reinfections.