kolkata the postwinter mercury fluctuation has turned out to be a worry for students gearing up for board and annual exams later this month thousands are suffering from fever chicken pox and other changeofseason diseases triggered by viruses that turn active in the prevailing weather conditions with less than a week to recover many are anxious about being able to get fit in time for the ensuing testssoham dey a class ix student at baranagar modern school is down with chicken pox since last week his annual exam commenced on monday dey took his geography exam three days after he was diagnosed with a viral infection despite being groggy and sluggish it was only on friday my parents noticed the rashes and suspected chicken pox we consulted a doctor who confirmed it and prescribed medicines as im in the middle of my exams im trying to avoid medicines which could make me feel drowsy though im feeling weak im determined to take the exams somehow ive managed to do last minute revisions said dey after his first examdey is taking his exams in a separate classroom and has been asked to drink lots of water but take less protein im following the advice strictly and hope to feel better during the subsequent exams its frustrating that im not as alert as i need to be for my exams he ruedbhargabi das a class vi student at south point high school has just recovered from a viral fever she was vomiting and had diarrhoea along with with high fever she was admitted to a private hospital on february 12 and released after two days my daughter missed a paper but now she is better and taking the remaining exams said dipali her motheramong some of the precautions which bhargabi has taken is regular consumption of coconut water im giving her a very light diet were ensuring she doesnt undergo any stress due to exams added dipali a kasba resident bhargabi was allowed to appear in the remaining exams after submitting a fit certificate from the physicianmany schools are keeping sickrooms ready for ailing examinees rammohan mission school principal sujoy biswas said the school is prepared to ensure a comfortable exam time for students suffering from viral diseases we have a separate room where students can be shifted immediately in case they fall ill there are assistants to take care of students weve requested parents to give them adequate water and homemade food students with slightest symptoms should be taken to doctors immediately weve emergency medicines handyit is unfortunate the exam season coincides with the time when viruses thrive according to arindam biswas consultant rn tagore international institute of cardiac sciences over the last two weeks the mercury has been sliding up and down helping the viruses multiply they spread from one to another through droplet infection the spread happens mostly from school and college classrooms rhino virus is the most common at this time of the year said biswas he recommends