A biting cold wave gripping Hyderabad has resulted in a dramatic 30% increase in cases of cold, cough, fever, and other respiratory illnesses within the city's densely populated urban slums. This spike highlights the acute seasonal vulnerability faced by residents in these settlements.
Survey Reveals Alarming Numbers, Children Most Vulnerable
A detailed survey conducted over the last 20 days across multiple slum localities has uncovered the scale of the health crisis. The data shows that a staggering 12,665 patients sought treatment at community health facilities operating in these urban areas. The findings point to a concentrated public health challenge exacerbated by the winter conditions.
Perhaps the most concerning detail is the disproportionate impact on the youngest residents. Children accounted for 42% of all reported cases, making them the worst-affected demographic. The remaining 58% of patients were adults, indicating a widespread community-level outbreak.
Localities Hit Hardest and Common Symptoms
The survey was carried out by the Hyderabad-based healthcare non-profit Helping Hand Foundation (HHF), which works in coordination with the Telangana state health department. HHF operates 20 primary healthcare centres and sub-centres in urban pockets including Hakimpet, Kishanbagh, Rajendra Nagar, Kalapather, Farooq Nagar, Jalpally, Pahadi Shareef, and Shaheen Nagar.
The impact was not uniform across all areas. Kalapather recorded the highest number of cases, followed closely by Shaheen Nagar and Pahadi Shareef. This pattern indicates a particularly concentrated effect in specific localities, possibly due to local environmental factors or population density.
Seasonal ailments dominated the patient caseload. Nearly two-thirds of those seeking help reported symptoms like cold, cough, body aches, and fever, with many also experiencing respiratory distress. A breakdown of the most common complaints reveals:
- Cold (18.7%) and Fever (15.5%) were the top reported issues.
- Upper respiratory tract infections followed at 12.9%.
- Body pain accounted for 9.1% of cases.
- Acute febrile illness was reported in 5.9% of patients.
- Influenza and cough were also noted in smaller but significant numbers.
Clear Seasonal Spike in Respiratory Combinations
The data underscores a definitive seasonal trend. Cases involving combinations of symptoms, such as cold and cough along with fever, constituted nearly 12% of the total disease burden. This points to a clear spike in upper respiratory illnesses directly linked to the ongoing cold wave.
Medical professionals involved in the survey also noted numerous cases of body pain and general weakness. These symptoms are typically associated with viral and influenza-like infections. The elderly and individuals with compromised immunity, alongside children, were found to be especially susceptible to these more severe symptom profiles.
The situation in Hyderabad's urban slums serves as a stark reminder of how extreme weather events disproportionately affect communities living in precarious conditions, demanding focused public health interventions during seasonal shifts.
