Unseasonal rain triggers spike in viral, respiratory infections

The city is witnessing a marked rise in seasonal infections—ranging from high-grade fever and dry cough to throat irritation, fatigue and respiratory distress—following a sudden spell of pre-monsoon rainfall over the past five days.

- Rupsa Chakraborty

MUMBAI: Health experts and clinicians across the city have flagged this uptick as a direct consequence of erratic weather, increased humidity and stagnant water accumulation, all of which create a fertile environment for viral and bacterial growth, particularly affecting the respiratory tract.

Mumbai witnessed an intense spell of unseasonal rainfall this week, marking the city's wettest May since 2021. Between Tuesday and Thursday morning, the Santacruz observatory recorded 34 mm of rainfall, nearly four times the city's average for the entire month of May.

"This shift from dry heat to high humidity within days disrupts the body's ability to regulate temperature and fight infections," said Dr B A Chaurasia, consultant in internal medicine at Kokilaben Hospital. "We are now seeing a consistent increase in respiratory infections—particularly upper respiratory tract issues like viral pharyngitis, bronchitis and flu."