BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera office of the Department of Health (DOH-CAR) reported that influenza like cases in the region increased by 8 percent from January to November 16, 2019 wherein there were some 10,022 suspects compared to the 9,306 suspects that were reported during the same period last year.
Based on the data obtained from the DOH-CAR’s Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU), there were no deaths attributed to influenze like illness over the past two years which was a good sign for those people that have contracted the illness during the reckoning periods.
Further, the different disease reporting units in the region were not able to register clustering of influenza like suspects in their areas of jurisdiction.
Most people who get flu will recover in a few days to less than two weeks, but some people will develop complications (such as pneumonia) as a result of flu, some of which can be life-threatening and result in death.
Influenza (flu) can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Flu is different from a cold. Flu usually comes on suddenly. People who have flu often feel some or all of these symptoms: fever or feeling feverish/chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue (tiredness) some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.
Sinus and ear infections are examples of moderate complications from flu, while pneumonia is a serious flu complication that can result from either influenza virus infection alone or from co-infection of flu virus and bacteria. Other possible serious complications triggered by flu can include inflammation of the heart (myocarditis), brain (encephalitis) or muscle (myositis, rhabdomyolysis) tissues, and multi-organ failure (for example, respiratory and kidney failure). Flu virus infection of the respiratory tract can trigger an extreme inflammatory response in the body and can lead to sepsis, the body’s life-threatening response to infection. Flu also can make chronic medical problems worse. For example, people with asthma may experience asthma attacks while they have flu, and people with chronic heart disease may experience a worsening of this condition triggered by flu.
Among the initial symptoms of influenza like illness include Fast breathing or trouble breathing, Bluish lips or face, ribs pulling in with each breath, chest pain, Severe muscle pain (child refuses to walk), dehydration (no urine for 8 hours, dry mouth, no tears when crying), not alert or interacting when awake, Seizures, fever above 104°F, In children less than 12 weeks, any fever, fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen and worsening of chronic medical conditions.
Health officials reminded individuals suffering from th3e symptoms of influenze like illness to immediately visit the health experts in the nearest medical facility so that they will be provided with the required medical intervention and for them not to self-medicate to prevent the possible complications in their prevailing health condition.
By HENT
