A nurse measuring the blood pressure of a type A influenza patient admitted to Tanan General Hospital on July 6
Influenza A appears a lot in winter and spring, and now it increases abnormally in summer, and many people are hospitalized for fever and pneumonia.
Bumin, 23, who was admitted to Tanan General Hospital, said on July 6 that he had been ill since last weekend. At first he thought he was tired and ill and had a cold and a fever, so he took medicine and rested at home. However, a day later, he was diagnosed with influenza A due to high fever, coma, and poor concentration, and was ordered to be hospitalized with water and antibiotics.
In the same treatment room as Min, all seven influenza A patients, regardless of age, were hospitalized in serious condition.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Huong, director of occupational diseases at Tan An General Hospital, said that the number of influenza A patients has increased recently. At its peak, it received more than 10 patients per day. Many people go to the hospital with symptoms of high fever, fatigue and, in worse cases, pneumonia and respiratory failure.
The Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases is in a similar situation. Dang Ti Thuy, head of the Department of Pediatrics, said that up to a quarter of the hundreds of pediatric patients who come to the hospital are infected with influenza A. Symptoms include fever, cough, sneezing, runny nose, and respiratory irritation such as sore throat.
According to doctors, the current summer increase in the number of influenza A cases is unusual compared to previous years. Dr Thuy said influenza A rarely occurs during the hot season, and cases are sporadic and insignificant. The reason is that influenza viruses do not cause disease by onset in hot and dry weather, but often multiply strongly in winter and spring when the weather is cold and wet.
It is not clear why there is an abnormal increase in influenza A in summer. Dr. Huong said that until May, the weather had changed unusually and the still cold air continued to blow, which could contribute to the spread of the influenza A virus. This situation could increase the number of dengue fever and COVID-19 patients at the same time, posing a risk of an epidemic. Therefore, doctors are recommending that everyone wear a mask, keep a distance, and refrain from going to places where people gather, such as conference rooms and buses, to prevent the spread of the disease.
According to Dr. Tui, influenza A is caused by viruses such as H1N1, H5N1, and H7N9, which spread through the respiratory tract through water droplets from the patient’s body when coughing, sneezing, or touching an object on the surface of the virus. Although the disease is usually not life threatening, it can cause serious and dangerous complications in people with underlying cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
The initial symptoms of the disease are similar to the common seasonal flu, with another difference being that the child often has a high fever of 39-40 degrees and the skin of the eyes and neck is red. Children are tired, not eating well, crying, and when they are seriously ill, breathing difficulties, pneumonia, bronchitis… At this time, doctors recommend sending the child to a nearby medical facility for prompt treatment. If you have complications such as bronchitis or pneumonia, you are hospitalized.