Every fall and winter, Google searches rise with questions about the flu and flu vaccines. We collected some of the most popular flu-related searches and got trustworthy answers from two Bloomberg School experts.
Joshua Sharfstein, MD, is a professor of Health Policy and Management and vice dean for Public Health Practice and Community Engagement. Caitlin Rivers, PhD, MPH, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and assistant professor in Environmental Health and Engineering.
Flu is a virus.
CR: Flu can spread through the air, which means being near someone who has influenza can put you at risk.
JS: It also means wearing a mask can be helpful.
Learn more: How Flu Spreads
CR: Yes, influenza is real. In the U.S., flu causes hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations each year and tens of thousands of deaths. It is real, it can be dangerous, and it is definitely worth protecting yourself against.
Learn more: Preventative Steps Against Flu
CR: It can be dangerous. This is particularly true for older adults, infants, and people who are pregnant. Particular groups are at greater risk for severe flu illness. Even for people who are young and healthy, who are unlikely to experience severe illness, flu is a really tough illness.
Learn more: People at Higher Risk for Flu Complications
CR: A little bit, yes. The seasonal influenza virus that we get vaccinated against every year is an influenza virus, as was the Spanish flu of 1918, but they are not exactly the same." Influenza is a virus that likes to change. Every year it's a little bit different, which is part of the reason you have to get vaccinated every year.
JS: It is free for a lot of people. There are requirements that vaccines be covered for many people with insurance so they don't have to do co-pays. And public health departments have the flu vaccine. So it's a good idea to check either with your insurer or with your health department to be able to get it for free.
Find a flu vaccine appointment or clinic near you
JS: Yes, the flu vaccine is a shot. Some people can receive the vaccine in nasal spray form; that's the live virus version. But the other version, the most common version, is an intramuscular shot.
JS: Yes, it is. The flu vaccine that's recommended during pregnancy is the inactivated one (injection), not the live virus vaccine (nasal spray).
CR: I have had two pregnancies and I was vaccinated for both of them. So thats a personal attestation that it is safe and effective.
Learn more: Flu Vaccine Safety and Pregnancy
JS: Today, at the end of October 2023, yes, vaccines are available all over the country and it is possible to find in your community.
Find a flu vaccine appointment or clinic near you
CR: It can. The flu vaccine can reduce your chance of developing severe illness by about half, which is pretty impressive considering that the influenza virus can be pretty tricky to match up against. But we do a pretty good job. And so it can prevent pneumonia.
CR: Most flu vaccines are made in eggs, which is why there are sometimes questions about whether people who have egg allergies are able to receive the flu vaccine. There are other ways to make flu vaccines. The egg-based approach is not the only manufacturing approach, but I believe it's most common.
Learn more: How Influenza (Flu) Vaccines Are Made
JS: Yes.* If people with egg allergies have concerns, it's always good to talk to their doctor about getting vaccinated. But in general, it is a very safe vaccine. If people have had an allergic reaction to a flu vaccine, that's where you really have to be especially cautious.
Read more: Flu Vaccine and People with Egg Allergies
CR: Flu vaccines work by giving your body a little peek at the proteins, or the composition of the virus, and stimulate your body to make defenses against that recipe, if you will. That way, when you encounter the influenza virus in the wild, your body is already revved up and familiar and is able to really combat that virus.
JS: If you're not vaccinated, just like for COVID or something else, your body has to take the full weight of that initial infection while it's starting to respond. If you're vaccinated, you can respond right away. It's sort of like you have the bouncers already ready for the virus.
JS: No, you cannot get the flu from a flu shot. And that is because flu shots don't actually contain live flu virus.
CR: Sometimes when you get a vaccine, whether flu or really any vaccine, you can feel crummy for a couple of hours, maybe a day. And that's your immune system doing its job and ramping up. But it is different than having an active infection. So if you have some aches or a little fever after a vaccine, that's normal and it will pass.
JS: There is a misconception of if I can get sick after a vaccine, then what's the point of getting a vaccine? But vaccines prevent the severe complications. People are getting that flu shot in order to not get a severe case of pneumonia or go into the hospital or even die. And that's not going to happen from a flu shot.
JS: Yes, it is possible. And in part that's because the vaccine isn't perfectly matched up with the virus. The viruses are constantly changing, and vaccines don't fully prevent infection against flu. But the good news is you're less likely to be hospitalized or get really sick. So you're not really getting a flu vaccine to be perfectly healthy and never worry about the fluyou're getting a vaccine to be able to keep doing the things you enjoy.
JS: The typical flu season is at the end of the year and the beginning of the next year. November, December, January, February; it can vary a bit. Some health departments also track how prevalent flu is in their area based on doctor and emergency room visits and positive flu tests. If you hunt around on your health department's website, you may find a curve that shows you where your community is in terms of flu season.
Follow CDC guidance and updates for this years flu season
CR: Seasonal influenza circulates most often in winter. December and January are usually the peak months, but it's possible to get flu in summer, particularly flu B, which is one of the types of influenza that is more common in summer. But generally, activity is much lower in the summer.
JS: For most people, the best time is just at the beginning of flu season or a little bit before. October would be my preferred month.
CR: I heard flu before boo recently, as in, you should get your flu shot before Halloween.
JS: They usually become available in the late summer or early fall.
Find a flu vaccine appointment or clinic near you
*A serious reaction is unlikely to occur, but if you have had a severe reaction in the past or are concerned about an egg allergy, please check with a health care provider. There are flu shot formulations made without eggs that may be recommended to you. For more information, visit the CDC's article, Flu Vaccine and People with Egg Allergies.
Flu season is about to hit the northern hemisphere. Last year's was particularly severe, as reduced exposure to influenza viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic combined with the resurgence of other respiratory infections such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) place dhuge pressure on hospital beds in many countries.
The northern hemisphere's flu season typically begins in October and can run until the end of May. While it is impossible to be certain of how the coming months will pan out, there are reasons to be optimistic that this year's flu season will not be quite as bad particularly if people take up the offer of seasonal flu vaccines.
The northern hemisphere's flu season follows the southern hemisphere's season.
While influenza viruses change and impact populations differently, the southern hemisphere's recent experiences can provide some indication of which influenza strains are likely to be circulating, how well vaccines might perform and the intensity of the upcoming northern flu season.
During 2023, the number of flu cases reported across all southern hemisphere zones has been comparable to the same reporting period in 2022. In fact, based on data from South Africa and Australia, "the season looks [to be] the most typical one since pre-pandemic," said Dr Tom Peacock, an influenza researcher at Imperial College London, UK.
In Australia, the total number of cases has also been broadly comparable to 2022 although influenza deaths and admissions to intensive care have been relatively low.
Interestingly, only 11% of those admitted to hospital with confirmed influenza were adults aged 65 or older, whereas children aged under 16 years accounted for 73% of admissions. One possible explanation might be relatively low uptake of influenza vaccine among children compared to previous years.
Another could be the relatively higher circulation of influenza B one of three types of influenza virus that can cause disease in humans (the others being influenza A and C).
"As flu B comes round less often, children, who are newer to the yearly flu epidemics than adults, are more likely to be susceptible," said Punam Mangtani, Professor of Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), UK. "This may be a reason for the greater proportion of children among those hospitalised."
The best way to prevent severe flu infections is vaccination, but the influenza vaccine works better in some years than in others. For instance, the 2010-11 vaccine was 60% effective at preventing flu hospitalisations, while the 2014-15 vaccine was only 19% effective. This is because the flu virus keeps changing, and while the flu vaccine is modified each year, the decision about which viruses to target is made months in advance (in February for this year's northern hemisphere vaccine).
Across the southern hemisphere, the main circulating viruses this season have been the influenza A/(H1N1)pdm09 and H3N2 viruses, and the Victoria lineage influenza B virus. The good news is that these are genetically similar to those targeted by the 2023-24 northern hemisphere influenza vaccine formulation, a recent analysis by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analysis suggests. They were also well-matched to those targeted by the 2023 southern hemisphere vaccine.
Based on flu hospitalisations in Latin America and the Caribbean recorded between March and July, the CDC estimates that the southern hemisphere's vaccine reduced the risk of hospitalisation by 52%. "This vaccine might offer similar protection if these viruses predominate during the coming Northern Hemisphere influenza season," the report said.
"In particular, [these interim] estimates indicate a significant reduction in hospitalization associated with the predominant influenza A/(H1N1)pdm09 virus among young children and older adults.
"Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent influenza and severe associated outcomes. Health authorities worldwide should encourage influenza vaccination for persons at increased risk for severe disease, including young children, persons with preexisting health conditions, and older adults, as well as those at increased risk for exposure to or transmission of influenza virus, such as health care personnel."
During the Autumn and Winter of 2022-23, many countries in the Northern Hemisphere were hit by a "tripledemic" of influenza, RSV and COVID-19, placing severe strain on public health systems. Reported rates of RSV in many southern hemisphere countries have been low in recent months. In Australia, they have been relatively high, although some of this could be due to increased surveillance for the disease.
WHO has warned that COVID-19 remains an uncertain threat, as new variants keep emerging. "It is also likely that COVID-19, influenza and RSV will be co-circulating this autumn and winter," said Dr Marc-Alain Widdowson, who leads WHO's High-threat Pathogen team. "This scenario is of concern as it would increase the risk to vulnerable populations and put further pressure on health services."
Besides getting vaccinated, he stressed that simple precautions such as wearing a mask in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces, hand washing, improved ventilation indoors, covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or bent elbow, and staying home if you are unwell, could all help to reduce transmission of these viruses.
Five Minnesota counties have now reported bird flu outbreaks at turkey farms this month as bird flu continues to threaten a key state industry.
Since the resurgence of the virus in Meeker County early in October, cases have been confirmed in Blue Earth, Becker, Kandiyohi and Redwood counties. More than 100,000 birds were killed to prevent further spread, according to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.
About 180,000 birds were culled at two sites in Meeker County earlier this month as the virus struck a large commercial operation in Minnesota for the first time this year.
Bird flu is typically spread by migrating birds in spring and fall. Minnesota, which raises more turkeys than any other state, is in a major migratory bird corridor and lost 4 million birds to bird flu a last year.
The 2022 outbreak was the deadliest wave of bird flu in U.S. history and has claimed nearly 60 million birds since it began.
Health officials have maintained the virus, officially called highly pathogenic avian influenza or H5N1, is not a threat to the food supply. It is extremely unlikely for a human to contract the virus, which is spread by direct contact with avian body fluids and feces.
A different strain of bird flu spreading in Cambodia recently infected and killed an adult and child who had direct contact with infected poultry, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"There is no indication that these two human infections with H5N1 pose a threat to the U.S. public," the CDC said Oct. 12.
Wild birds and other animals can carry bird flu, and Minnesota has reported more bird flu in wild birds than any other state, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. More than a dozen ducks and a peregrine falcon have been found with the virus in Minnesota this month.
Avoid touching sick or dead animals found in the wild. Report dead birds in the wild and any irregularities in backyard poultry flocks and commercial operations to the state Avian Influenza Hotline at 1-833-454-0156.
The autumn bird flu outbreak has so far been minor compared to the last year's spread, which sent turkey and egg prices soaring. As of Tuesday, and with less than a month until Thanksgiving, the market for frozen and fresh turkeys is "steady" according to the USDA.
Prices for frozen whole turkeys remain below average and are ranging $1 to $1.20 per pound nationwide after reaching nearly $2 per pound during last year's avian flu-stricken holiday season.
Fresh hens recently climbed to $1.40 per pound, matching the three-year average for late October.
"Turkey and poultry supplies have recovered over the last year," Farm Bureau economist Bernt Nelson wrote earlier this month. "This means there is plenty of turkey and the lower prices that come with strong supplies to go around for Thanksgiving."
CFOTO | Future Publishing | Getty Images
Pfizer on Thursday said its combination vaccine candidates targeting Covid and the flu will move to a final-stage trial in the coming months after showing positive initial results in an early to mid-stage study.
That moves the pharmaceutical giant and its German partner BioNTech one step closer to winning a potential regulatory approval for a combination shot for Covid and the flu. Earlier this year, Pfizer said it hopes to launch a vaccine targeting those two respiratory viruses in 2024 or later.
Pfizer and other vaccine makers like Moderna and Novavax believe combination shots will simplify the process for people to protect themselves against respiratory viruses that typically surge around the same time of the year.
"This vaccine has the potential to lessen the impact of two respiratory diseases with a single injection and may simplify immunization practices," Annaliesa Anderson, Pfizer's head of vaccine research and development, said in a release.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said during an investor call earlier this month that he believes the convenience offered by combination vaccines will "unlock a significant potential by improving the vaccination rates."
Covid vaccine rates in the U.S. were bleak last year, and could look the same this year.
The trial measured the safety, tolerability and efficacy of Pfizer's combination vaccine candidates among adults ages 18 to 64. The trial also compared the combination vaccines to a licensed influenza vaccine and Pfizer's bivalent Covid shot, which targets the omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5 and the original strain of the virus.
The results showed that "lead" formulations of Pfizer's combination vaccine demonstrated robust immune responses to influenza A, influenza B and Covid strains, according to Pfizer.The safety profiles of the combination vaccine candidates were also consistent with the company's Covid vaccine.
Pfizer and BioNTech are also developing a vaccine that targets both Covid and RSV. Meanwhile, both Moderna and Novavax are developing their own combination shots.
FAIRMONT Community Health and Human Services of Faribault and Martin Counties is encouraging people to say boo to the flu and get their flu vaccinations before Halloween. In addition to that, it also recommends at risk populations get RSV and Covid vaccinations, too.
Tim Langer, Public Health Sanitarian, explained that were heading into the season for these diseases to spread more easily as people will start spending more time indoors and having more contact with others as children are in school and holiday gatherings will be starting.
On the Covid front, Langer said they locally continue to see active Covid cases and added that the Omicron variant has changed over the last year or so.
Its still around and it can still cause serious illness or death and does, but primarily in elderly folk and those who are not vaccinated, Langer said.
He added that most people with healthy immune systems do well if infected and only experience minor symptoms which are similar to a cold, but that there are still severe cases throughout the country.
However, Langer noted that its better than it used to be with the original variant and Delta variant.
While theres been chatter about mask mandates as cases pick back up this season, Langer said his personal opinion is that mask mandates are through with.
But I do think there are folk, if theyre more susceptible, they might want to consider masking. A N95 mask can go a long way to stopping the spread of this virus, Langer said.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus, commonly referred to as RSV, is a virus that can affect infants and young children and also the older population.
There is an effective vaccine for that virus and its recommended that if youre 60 and older you obtain that vaccine, Langer said.
He said that infants affected by RSV almost always show symptoms and its not always that way with adults so it can spread easily from adults to children.
Common RSV symptoms include runny nose, coughing, sneezing, fever and wheezing. In young children it can cause bronchitis and pneumonia.
Turning to influenza, Langer said at this time in Minnesota, theyre not seeing high cases of the virus. However, there is a vaccine for it that he suggests people should consider getting.
It can be quite effective in reducing your chances of getting the virus or having a serve case, Langer said.
If its received too early, some of the immunity can wear off so Langer said experts recommend now is a good time to obtain the flu vaccine so the body can build up immunity before more cases pop up in the area.
As with all vaccines, Langer acknowledged that people can have different reactions upon receiving it.
Typically symptoms are mild and only last 24 hours or less. People might have headaches or body aches, but for example, with the influenza virus, you will not get influenza from the vaccine, but you may have side effects, he said.
Side effects are normal and nothing to be worried. Langer recognized that while theyre a nuisance, the vaccine ultimately provides protection in the long-run and many people dont have reactions.
Currently, people can find vaccines for all of these viruses at local pharmacies. In the meantime, practicing good hygiene can go a long way in preventing illness.
I think folk need to be reminded to cover their cough this season and wash their hands and do all of those simple things we can do to prevent the spread of disease whether its serious or not. Even the simple cold can be prevented by covering your cough and washing you hands, Langer said.
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SARS-CoV-2
Source: iStock
Unfortunately, only 23.5% of those who were hospitalized in the U.S. had received the recommended COVID-19 bivalent vaccine, and only 58.6% had received the original vaccines rolled out at the end of 2020 and beginning of 2021. Globally, it may appear that there is a better vaccination rate achieved, with more than 5.55 billion people worldwide receiving a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, equal to about 72.3% of the world population. However, more in-depth research reveals a stark gap exists between vaccination programs in different countries.
Source: CDC
How is the updated vaccine different from previous vaccines? Who should get vaccinated? Will the current version provide protection against recentCOVID-19 variants? When should one get vaccinated, and can other seasonal vaccinations beadministered simultaneously?
Updated COVID-19 vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna were approved (mid-Sept. 2023) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and recommended by the CDC.The updated vaccine is, once again, a monovalent version, which was created to protect people from the Omicron XBB.1.5 subvariant. While this specific variant is currently responsible for only about 3% of all U.S. cases, the dominant variants that are currently circulating are closely related to it. In other words, the current COVID-19 virus is so close to the vaccine version that it will protect us.
Prior to mRNA vaccine development, many vaccines were created to challenge the immune system with a microbe against which theyre meant to protecteither the entire pathogen or some crucial component. Meaning, in the past the world relied on making vaccines by using weakened or inactivated versions of a virus, which would be injected into eggs (flu), humans or other host cells. This was a lengthy process, and often by the time the vaccine was available, the circulating viruses had already changed genetically, rendering the vaccines less effective.
mRNA vaccines have completely turned vaccine creation on its head. The mRNA vaccines work differently because now they present a genetic code (nucleic acid language) that human cells can translate into proteins. Thus, mRNA in the vaccine is used to prompt host cells to produce viral proteins that stimulate an immune response upon future exposure/infection to that particular pathogenusually by helping neutralize the virus with antibodies. Additionally, existing COVID-19 vaccines offer a resilient cell-mediated immune response.
The amazing power of mRNA vaccines is that the turnaround time required to produce them can be lifesaving in real time. In other words, vaccine makers can simply adapt the nucleic acid code found in the most current versions of circulating COVID-19 variants (or other viruses like the flu) to contain codes for the spike protein found jutting from the outer surface of the virus, and within weeks to a month, our bodies can be immunized to ultimately make copies of a current variants spike protein, which the immune system learns to subsequently recognize.
Source: CDC
Importantly, RNA viruses, including SARS, RSV and influenza, make it very difficult to produce a long-lasting vaccine since these viruses areconstantly evolving. In other words, SARS-CoV-2 is a moving target at the molecular level. As with flu vaccination and others, these new versions of the COVID-19 vaccine will not prevent all COVID-19 infections, but unless there is a major genetic shift in the virus, like we saw with Delta to Omicron in the winter of 2021, the current COVID-19 vaccines will offer partial-to-full protection from circulating variants.
Furthermore, these newer versions are expected to have an immediate impact for preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death from a COVID-19 infection, and the release of this vaccine is well-timed to coincide with the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere, when respiratory infections, hospitalizations and mortality rates tend to rise.
According to the CDC and WHO, the new COVID-19 vaccine should be taken in the fall, around the Sept.-Oct. timeframe (Northern Hemisphere) for best protection in the winter season. There may be a need for some individuals to receive the vaccine sooner (e.g., immunocompromised).
The COVID-19 vaccine is safe to receive at the same time as your annual influenza (e.g., flu) vaccine. The new respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine may be administered at the same time as well.
The CDC states that individuals who recently had a COVID-19 infectionmay wait up to 3 months before being vaccinated.And although experts collectively agree that people should wait until symptoms of an active COVID-19 infection resolve before getting vaccinated, there may be pros and cons to waiting for natural immunity to wane (~3 months) before boosting. On one hand, getting boosted before the 3 months have passed may produce higher levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies thanwhat would be produced from COVID-19 infection alone, a factorthat could make this a more desirable option, especially for those with high risk of SARS-CoV-2 exposure.However, waiting 3 months for natural immunity to wane, may generate a more robust antibody response upon boosting, which may be desirable for those who have alower risk of day-to-day exposure.
In any case, it is important to stay up to date on vaccination, as people who do not get vaccinated after recovery from COVID-19infection aremore likely to get COVID-19 againthan those who get vaccinated after their recovery.
Should I get a fluvaccineand a COVIDvaccineat the same time? What about RSV?
You can absolutely receive the COVID vaccine at the same time as the flu shot. If you are in a high-risk category (immunocompromised, pregnant, over 65, etc.), you can speak with your primary care provider (students' respective campus health service or employees' primary care doctor) to discussanyconcernsand receive guidance on the best approach for you.
Youve probably heard a lot of about RSV, which is Respiratory Syncytial Virus. RSV usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover quickly, but RSV can be serious, especially for babies and older adults. This year, theCDChas recommended a new vaccine to protect those most at risk of getting very sick with RSV (infants, toddlers, and adults 60 years and older).RSV vaccination is available for those eligible at many pharmacies and primary care offices.
With respiratory viruses circulating across the country, youmaychoose to wear a mask to limit your risk of getting sick. Indoor spaces, particularly ones where many people are in close proximity for an extended period of time such as the subway are common places wheresomepeoplechoose tomask up.
Mask wearing must of course be accompanied by other preventative measures such as washing hands frequently and staying home when sick.
COVID-19 did not spread at childcare centers such as daycares and schools, according to a new study.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh found that children and staff members at local childcare centers were significantly less likely to spread the virus to others at the centers than they were elsewhere.
They say that expensive testing policies and facility closures may not have been needed.
No one wants to give up on controlling SARS-CoV-2 spread, Timothy Shope, M.D., MPH, lead author of the study and pediatrician, said in a statement. But focusing on testing and long exclusion periods for children in child care centers appears to be unnecessary, while subjecting families to the expense of frequent testing, absence from work and lost wages, and loss of education and socialization for children.
School COVID policies were among the most controversial of the pandemic. Many districts opted for school closures early in the pandemic, though children who went to schools in red states often returned to school months before their blue state peers.
These policies are believed to have contributed toward a massive learning loss and the emergence of a mental health crisis among American children. However, many felt the policies were justified because they stopped the potential spread of the virus.
Even when schools did return, many had test-to-stay policies, where students would have to routinely take a COVID test and were sent home if they were determined to have the virus.
The Pittsburgh researchers found that these policies may not have contributed much towards stopping the spread of the virus, though.
Researchers, who published their findings Tuesday in JAMA Network Open, gathered data from 83 children at 11 facilities. Using contact tracing and sequencing, they determined that 17% of infections within households of children who attended centers could be blamed on transmission at the childcare facilities. This is compared to 50% to 67% of transmission that occurred within households themselves.
This means that the children were around three-times more likely to contract the virus at home than they were at the childcare facility.
Dr. Shope says that this data shows that COVID does not need to be overly-tested for, and that facilities should not go into panic whenever a child gets ill.
We need to have an open discussion at the national level about the benefit of recommending SARS-CoV-2 testing for every child with respiratory symptoms who attends a child care program, he said.
In the paper itself, the researchers write that COVID which is rarely severe or deadly among children and has lower mortality rates in youth than the flu should be treated like a normal infection.
Current testing and exclusion recommendations for [childcare centers] should be aligned with those for other respiratory viruses with similar morbidity and greater transmission to households, they write.
The weekly retrospective gives a summary of trends in acute respiratory infections, including COVID-19 and influenza (influenza virus) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
COVID-19 Decrease of all indicators, hinting to a reduced circulation.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) The RSV virus begins to circulate, but at a low level.
Influenza Very few cases of flu have been detected, with circulation at a low level.
From 16 to 22 October 2023 (week 42), the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 dropped to 220 cases, compared to 350 cases the previous week (-37%). The positivity rate fell to 21% compared with 23% the previous week. The viral concentration detected in wastewater confirms the decline in circulation of the virus [1].
These 3 clinical indicators suggest that a peak in the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 has recently been reached.
Recent sequencing data showed a preponderance of the EG.5.1 variant (38.7%) [2].
For the week of 16 to 22 October 2023 (week 42), the number of influenza cases reported by laboratories rose to 5, compared with 1 case the previous week.
This data largely overlaps with LNS sentinel surveillance, which indicates increased circulation of rhinoviruses and SARS-CoV-2, but little circulation of influenza viruses.[2]
For week 42 (16 to 22 October 2023), the number of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-positive individuals detected by the CHL laboratory rose to 9 cases, compared with 7 the previous week, an increase of 29%.
Although circulation of the RSV virus has just begun, it is still at a low level.
Press release by the Ministry of Health
[1] https://www.list.lu/en/covid-19/coronastep/
[2] https://lns.lu/publications/
An alarming increase in the cases of respiratory infections including influenza and others is being reported in Karachi with the transition of the weather.
Health experts said the cases of the illness causing flu-like symptoms among people, especially among elderly citizens are increasing. Doctors have been seeing a surge in respiratory tract infections since the start of this month. Most patients presenting with high fever, cough, body pains, runny nose, headaches and sore throat are managed well with symptomatic treatment.
Apart from influenza cases of chickenpox and measles are also being reported at the private and government medical facilities of the city.
Health experts have advised citizens to use facemasks and wash their hands to avoid contraction of the influenza virus as it is easily transmissible from an infected person to others. Infected people have been recommended to stay home for at least 24 hours; limit contact with others; infected persons should avoid travelling.
The Sindh health department has also suggested vaccination against influenza, describing it as the most important step for protection.
