Tamil Nadu Hospitals Expand Fever Treatment Facilities As Dengue Cases Rise

Hospitals across Tamil Nadu are expanding fever treatment facilities as a rise in dengue and other viral infections puts additional pressure on outpatient departments ahead of the Northeast Monsoon. Government and private hospitals have reported increasing numbers of patients seeking treatment for fever, respiratory infections, influenza and dengue, with some facilities experiencing overcrowding and prolonged waits for beds.

In Chennai, the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children in Egmore is preparing to open a 60-bed ward for children with fever. The additional capacity is intended to ease pressure on existing wards as more patients arrive for treatment. Some hospitals in the city have reported waits of up to 12 hours for beds, although doctors have said that most of the infections being treated remain mild.

Tamil Nadu had recorded around 19,000 dengue cases and nine deaths this year as of Sunday. Chennai, Coimbatore, Salem, Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu are among the districts reporting higher numbers of fever cases. The state has conducted approximately 2.24 lakh dengue tests and is monitoring fever cases through 5,818 government and private healthcare facilities, with more than 26,300 health workers involved in field surveillance and response.

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Chennai recorded more than 3,000 fever cases during the first 20 days of September, including 180 dengue cases. The city had reported around 4,500 fever cases in August, of which about 160 were identified as dengue. Adyar, Anna Nagar and Valasaravakkam have recorded relatively higher numbers, prompting increased monitoring. The Greater Chennai Corporation has also intensified mosquito-control measures across its 15 zones, including removing stagnant water, applying larvicide and conducting fogging operations.

Hospitals in other parts of Tamil Nadu are similarly preparing for a possible increase in admissions by arranging additional beds, fever wards, testing facilities, medicines and equipment. A government medical college hospital in Thoothukudi has reserved 100 beds in separate dengue wards for adults and children. The Health Department has described the rise in dengue cases as consistent with the seasonal pattern rather than an unusually severe outbreak, while authorities continue surveillance and preventive measures as the Northeast Monsoon approaches.

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