The changing seasons are blamed for an increased risk of respiratory infections, the most common of which is the flu. Influenza is caused by influenza virus strains, often leaving upper respiratory tract lesions and can cause acute bronchitis, even severe pneumonia, which is life-threatening.

Medical staff of the Da Nang Da Nang Hospital examine a patient with respiratory diseases. Photo: PHAN CHUNG

Currently, COVID-19 is still complicated, the Da Nang health sector recommends that people take the initiative to go to medical facilities for timely examination and treatment because the symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are basically the same. If treated arbitrarily, it will be very dangerous.

Recently, Da Nang Hospital continuously received and treated many patients with severe flu. A 60-year-old patient, residing in Thanh Khe District was brought to the hospital by family members for treatment with fever, cough, runny nose and prolonged body aches.

Thinking that it was a common cold, family members bought medicine for the patient but his health condition did not improve after 10 days of treatment. When admitted to the hospital, the patient was tired for a long time and his health deteriorated seriously. After doctors- ordered tests, the patient was diagnosed with influenza A (H1N1).

Similarly, another patient residing in Son Tra District who had just contracted COVID-19 was cured 2 weeks ago also fell into the same situation. “The symptoms are very similar to COVID-19 but it lasts a long time, people are always lethargic, tired and especially cough a lot. Although I took all kinds of cold medicine and sauna, but it still didn't go away, I was so worried that I was hospitalised. The doctors said that I had the flu on the background of my body not recovering from COVID-19, said the patient.

According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, seasonal flu is an acute infectious disease with symptoms of fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, runny nose, sore throat and cough. The causative agent of the disease is mainly A(H3N2), A(H1N1) , B and C viruses. The disease is highly contagious through the respiratory tract through droplets of saliva or postnasal drips due to sneezing and coughing.

The flu is usually mild and recovers in 2-7 days. But for children, the elderly with poor resistance, especially those with chronic diseases of the heart, lungs, kidneys, metabolic diseases, anemia or immunocompromised, the flu can be more severe and more susceptible to complications and can lead to death if not treated promptly. Seasonal change, lots of rain, cold and humidity, environmental pollution or crowds will create favourable conditions for the flu virus to develop and spread further.

Doctor Truong Thi Hoa, Deputy Head of the Department of the Tropical Medicine at the Da Nang General Hospital, said that the symptoms of seasonal flu and common cold are very similar such as fever, cough, runny nose, body aches. In particular, at present, COVID-19 is still complicated, many people mistakenly believe that upper respiratory infections, including the common cold, seasonal flu and COVID-19 are the same.

This is very dangerous, if you arbitrarily use drugs according to your own judgment, it will affect your health. The subjects most vulnerable to seasonal shackles are children and people aged over 65, and those with pre-existing medical conditions. Weak body resistance will make the virus easier to penetrate into the body, increasing the risk of bacterial superinfection, asthma, heart damage, myocarditis or even death.

“In order to prevent and control the seasonal flu disease, people need to ensure personal hygiene, cover their mouths when they sneeze; frequently wash hands with soap and clean water; clean the nose and throat daily with salt water; keep your body warm and eat enough nutrients for health improvement. A seasonal flu vaccine is required every year to boost immunity against influenza. Limit contact with flu patients or suspected cases when not necessary, proactively use medical masks in necessary cases. In particular, people do not arbitrarily buy and use antiviral drugs, but need to follow the instructions and prescriptions of doctors. When there are symptoms of cough, fever, runny nose, headache, fatigue, it is necessary to immediately go to a medical facility for timely examination and treatment, "said Doctor Hoa.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG - Translating by A.THU