Bangalore Mirror 13 Sep 2017 Doctors ask parents to be vigilant as children are most vulnerable to the virus This year, city hospitals have been witnessing a steep rise in cases of a dengue-like viral fever, especially among children. Doctors have exhorted parents to be more vigilant. Viral fever strains have mutated over time making it difficult for doctors to treat them. There are viruses that are benign but can trigger macrophage activation syndrome, which is a typical feature of the dengue virus. Across the city, there has been a spurt in the number of such patients with such fever and, in some cases, a rapid drop in platelet count has been noticed.   Click here to Book an appointment      Dr Shalini Joshi, consultant, internal medicine, Fortis Hospital, said, “This is not the first time that people are being diagnosed with viral fever that imitates the symptoms of dengue. This fever can only be diagnosed through a careful blood test. I won’t say that it is a new strain