A 32-bed special ward has been set up at Mahatma Gandhi memorial govt hospital (MGMGH) to treat patients suspected of having dengue.
Hospital authorities said the ward has been equipped with mosquito nets, essential medicines and other facilities, with doctors and medical staff.
Chennai: Several private hospitals in the city are seeing packed outpatient departments, full wards, and emergency-room waiting times of up to 12 hours for beds as respiratory infections, influenza and dengue rise ahead of the monsoon . “When patients come into the emergency room, the wait for a room or bed extends up to 12 hours. The Directorate of Public Health said the number of cases seen in 2026 and the severity of illness are not alarming. Apollo Hospitals, for instance, recorded a death last week after a 65-year-old patient who came with fever tested positive for dengue and developed haemorrhagic shock.
Because both awareness and anxiety have increased, “People are reaching hospitals earlier.
deaths can occur particularly among the elderly and people with co-morbidities, doctors said While the number of severe cases remains low. However, some require nebulisation or intravenous fluids, pushing up admissions, doctors said. Ward admissions have increased sharply, said infectious diseases expert Dr V Ramasubramanian of Apollo Hospitals. The waiting time in outpatient units has also increased considerably,” he said. The increase reflects both a seasonal rise in infections and a larger pool of vulnerable patients, said Gleneagles Hospital director of infectious diseases Dr Subramanian Swaminathan. These conditions make a fever or respiratory infection more serious,” he said. It continued through Aug and Sept,” said paediatric infectious diseases expert Dr J Rajkumar. “Adolescents are being admitted with high fever, fatigue, poor intake and, in some cases, fever-related delirium,” he said.
Patients with respiratory ailments and flu are arriving with high fever, sore throat, cold, cough, severe body and leg pain, chest discomfort, fatigue and poor appetite. In children and adolescents, doctors are also seeing prolonged fever, marked exhaustion and, in a few cases, fever-related confusion or delirium. Most recover with medicines and rest. Similarly, patients who need to be shifted out of the ICU have long waits for rooms or beds in general wards. most patients admitted have comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, kidney disease and cancer While people of all ages are at risk of severe infection. Doctors agree, but say dengue deaths can occur. Children’s hospitals are also reporting similar spikes. “The year’s first respiratory and flu surge began unusually early, in May. We thought it would delay the second surge, but it started in July, as soon as schools reopened.