According to the forecasts of the WHO, in this epidemic season, we should expect the circulation of several influenza viruses in the world, the course of the disease in which has not been fully investigated.
In recent weeks, the number of flu patients has been increasing in Lviv Oblast. From October 31 to November 7, 183 people with SARS symptoms were hospitalized at the Lviv Regional Infectious Diseases Hospital alone, including 110 adults and 73 children.
As Nataliya Ivanchenko, director general of the Lviv Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health, told during a briefing at the Ukraina media center, in Lviv Oblast, influenza was initially diagnosed by rapid tests, and the day before yesterday, for the first time, 40 people with the influenza A RNA virus were detected by PCR. As of now, there are already 67 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza A in our region.
Influenza A virus is the most common, as it has a high degree of variability and has different subtypes.
“During the last week, there has been a steady decline in the number of patients with covid-19, and at the same time, the number of requests for medical help by people with symptoms of a cold has increased by 15% in a week: increased body temperature, headache, nausea, body aches Yazah, and they had a negative test for covid. During the examination by laboratory methods, it turned out that these people are sick with the flu,” noted Nataliya Ivanchenko.
She also explained that it is impossible to determine exactly which subtypes of the influenza A virus are among the positive flu tests. However, according to WHO forecasts, within this episeason, we should expect the circulation of not only influenza A virus, but also others:
Influenza virus “A/H1N1/Victoria” (known since 2019, did not cause any unclear cases of the course of the disease);
Influenza virus “A/H3N2/Darwin” (typed for the first time in 2021, the course of the disease is unknown);
Influenza virus “B/Austria” (first typed in 2021, the course of the disease is unknown);
Influenza virus “B/Packet” (known for the last 9 years).
Children under the age of 5, pregnant women, people with diabetes, obesity, and chronic diseases of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems are most vulnerable to the flu virus. These people should first of all protect themselves and get vaccinated. At the first signs of SARS (elevated body temperature, nausea, muscle aches), you need to stay at home and consult with your family doctor,” noted Nataliya Ivanchenko.
The epidemiologist also emphasizes that the vaccines produced for this epidemic season, 2022-2023, protect against all four strains of the influenza virus. In particular, in the Lviv Region, you can get vaccinated against the flu with the “Jessie Flu” vaccine.
In the period of war and in the mode of saving energy resources, we must be healthy, we must prevent and take all measures to prevent persistent waves of certain infectious diseases – emphasized Orest Chemeris, director of the health care department of LOVA.
“Vaccination against the flu is completely voluntary, but I emphasize that it is the experience of combating Covid-19 that shows that the vaccinated population tolerates infectious diseases more easily. As of today, we have the “Gsy Flu” vaccine available in the pharmacy network. This is a four-component vaccine that can protect everyone who wants to be vaccinated against the flu virus.
In addition, in the coming days, we expect centralized supplies from the Ministry of Health and a certain number of doses of the flu vaccine, which will primarily be directed to population groups that have an increased risk of contracting the flu,” added Orest Chemeris.