Pneumonia and seasonal flu spread rapidly

The world is facing a series of serious health threats, especially the outbreak of pneumonia of unknown cause and the spread of seasonal flu.

People with weak immune systems, such as children and the elderly, are susceptible to viruses and respiratory diseases (Photo: D.T)

Rise in cases of pneumonia of “undetermined cause”

China has recently reported a surge in cases of “unknown cause” pneumonia, with symptoms similar to Covid-19, including fever, cough, pneumonia and other respiratory problems. These cases are overwhelming hospitals, creating stress and shortages of resources. Experts fear that the new virus could pose a major threat, similar to past epidemics, with the potential to cause large outbreaks in the community.

China has taken measures to cope with the worst-case scenario, while strengthening surveillance and prevention to minimize the spread, but the exact type of virus causing the disease has not yet been identified, making the situation complicated and difficult to control.

Mr. Hoang Minh Duc, Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health) said that this epidemic is attracting special attention from the community. The Department of Preventive Medicine has quickly contacted the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to verify the epidemic situation and information shared through international media channels.

While information about the HMPV pneumonia outbreak in China is still being closely monitored, the Ministry of Health affirms that the current epidemic situation does not show signs of a major health crisis. The Ministry of Health will continue to closely monitor and update official information from international health agencies to protect public health.

According to information from China, HMPV, along with other viruses such as influenza and rhinovirus, is the main cause of acute respiratory infections. These viruses often increase in winter and have the ability to spread rapidly in the community. Symptoms of HMPV are similar to seasonal flu, including cough, fever and difficulty breathing.

Although there has been no official report from the WHO on the epidemic situation in China, according to the General Department of Preventive Medicine, HMPV infections in China mainly appear in outpatient and emergency hospitals. HMPV can cause severe pneumonia, especially in people with weakened immune systems, such as children and the elderly.

Faced with the above threat, the Ministry of Health has proactively implemented preventive measures. The Department of Preventive Medicine has been monitoring and following the developments of the epidemic. Domestic health agencies have also been asked to closely coordinate with WHO and China to update official information on the epidemic.

The Ministry of Health recommends that people continue to take measures to prevent infectious diseases in the winter, such as washing hands frequently with soap or antiseptic solution; avoiding contact with people who are sick or have respiratory symptoms; wearing masks in public places, especially when in contact with sick people; and getting a flu vaccine to reduce the risk of contracting respiratory viral diseases.

The Department of Preventive Medicine also requested medical facilities and health departments of provinces and cities to strengthen the prevention and control of infectious diseases in the winter and spring, especially respiratory diseases such as influenza and HMPV.

Explaining the increase in cases of pneumonia of unknown cause, Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Dac Phu, former Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine, said that during the Covid-19 pandemic and social distancing, the number of people infected with HMPV decreased, leading to a decrease in community immunity. HMPV is a common respiratory virus that causes upper and lower respiratory tract infections, especially in winter and spring, so HMPV virus disease occurs every year.

During the virus outbreak season, due to limited epidemic prevention measures and reduced community immunity, the number of cases has increased. However, Mr. Phu also emphasized that this is not a dangerous virus, so people should not panic too much, but also should not be subjective in disease prevention and control.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent HMPV virus. Therefore, Mr. Phu recommends that people take preventive measures like those to prevent Covid-19 and other respiratory infectious diseases.

Get vaccinated to prevent flu effectively

In addition to the pneumonia epidemic of unknown cause, seasonal flu is also spreading rapidly around the world. Seasonal flu is usually a mild illness in young and healthy people, but for the elderly, children and those with underlying health conditions, the impact can be very serious, causing dangerous complications such as pneumonia, respiratory failure, and even death. This year, influenza B is the main virus circulating in many countries, especially in Europe, where the flu epidemic is increasing rapidly after the year-end holidays.

For influenza, vaccination is the most effective way to prevent illness, hospitalization and death. Health experts recommend that people, especially the elderly, children and those with underlying health conditions, get vaccinated against influenza to protect their health and the health of the community. Influenza vaccines need to be administered each year because influenza virus strains can change and vaccines need to be updated to match new variants.

Although Covid-19 vaccines have been developed and widely administered, concerns about new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus remain a concern. The virus continues to mutate, with each variant having characteristics that spread more quickly, making the epidemic situation more complicated. Recently, experts have recorded some signs of Covid-19 outbreaks in many countries, although the situation is no longer as serious as before.

Symptoms of Covid-19 can last for months and include fatigue, shortness of breath, cognitive impairment (brain fog) and cardiovascular complications. Many studies have shown that vaccination against Covid-19 not only reduces the risk of infection, but also significantly reduces the risk of long-term symptoms.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/viem-phoi-va-cum-mua-lay-lan-nhanh-d240070.html