As flu cases have recently increased in China, experts said the surge could be attributed to the low circulation of the virus during the COVID-19 outbreak and the resulting low level of immunity within population.
These experts have emphasized early diagnosis and intervention for vulnerable groups, while health authorities have stepped up training in hospitals on diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
From February 20 to 26, the country reported 390 flu outbreaks caused by two strains of influenza A, known as H1N1 and H3N2, compared to 108 recorded in the previous seven-day period, according to an update from flu surveillance released Thursday by the Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC).
The nationwide flu positivity rate rose to 23.9% during the Feb. 20-26 period, from 7.8% the previous week.
The China CDC said the percentage of influenza-like illnesses among hospital visits had increased in southern and northern regions, and the rates were either equal to or higher than those seen since 2020.
Sun Jimin, a researcher at the Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said COVID-19 control measures have also suppressed the spread of the flu virus over the past three years. With the optimization of COVID-19 response measures and increased mobility and gatherings, the influenza virus has spread more easily.
“Many people are susceptible to the infection because it has not been widely transmitted for three consecutive years and the overall flu vaccination rate is low,” he said.
However, Sun added that this winter’s flu virus outbreak seemed stronger than the past three years, but was still milder than in 2019 and 2018, adding that it is expected to decrease after two weeks.
Hu Yang, a pulmonologist at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, said it was difficult to make predictions about the spread of flu cases due to the unpredictable nature of virus circulation. “The epidemic over the past three years has also changed some influenza virus transmission traits,” he noted.
Hu said many people had not caught a cold in the past three years and had lost their immunity to the flu virus, causing a new wave of flu epidemics this winter.
Most patients infected with the influenza A virus can recover without special treatment in about a week, but the public is advised to delay travel plans until this wave subsides, he said. underline.
The National Health Commission’s emergency medical response service said on Thursday it had launched training in all medical institutions on how to deal with influenza virus and norovirus – an infectious disease that causes stomach pain and diarrhea.
The department stressed the need to improve emergency response and staffing of emergency care, fever and gastroenterology departments, as well as paying special attention to high-risk groups.
Guo Yanhong, a commission official, said some vulnerable patients, including the elderly, children, pregnant women and people with existing illnesses, could develop pneumonia or other complications.
