In recent days, a strong outbreak of Influenza-Like Illness (ILI)also known as Influenza A. According to the National Epidemiological Bulletinmade by the Ministry of Health of the Nation, during the 38 weeks of 2022, 874,996 case reports were reached, one of the highest for the same period in the last decade. But how to know if the symptoms we have are consistent with this disease?
Given this information, it is important to pay special attention if you have fever greater than 38° C, severe cough, headaches, nasal congestion, sore throat, muscle aches, and digestive discomfort such as nausea or vomiting.
Although it is a very contagious disease, those who suffer from it usually recover after two weeks and no need for treatment. Although before the appearance of the symptoms described above, it is important to go to the family doctor to obtain an accurate evaluation, since this disease may It can present serious complications in people over 65 years of age.
Special caution should also be taken with young children, pregnant women or people with chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes or respiratory conditions. Because the lack of control can lead to complications such as pneumonia, laryngitis, otitis or sinusitis.
“If the number of ILI notifications is compared in the first 38 weeks of the last nine years, it is observed that the years with the highest number of notifications were 2016 and 2017, followed by the cases registered in the current year”, says the National Epidemiological Bulletin, which also explains that although the years 2020 and 2021 were affected by the pandemic for numerical grouped notification, an increase is also observed compared to the two previous years (2018 and 2019) for the same period in the current year ”.
Some specialists maintain that this outbreak of influenza A may have to do with the pandemic, since two years of wearing a mask and confinement resulted in a reduction in flu cases. Another possible explanation is that since the vaccination campaigns, for Covid and for influenza, have overlapped during those years, it is likely that fewer people have been vaccinated against influenza this year.
That is why it is important to know that the national vaccination schedule includes the flu vaccine and it is being applied with absolute normality.
by RN
