Like other countries of the world, there is a fear of getting infected with influenza or flu among the people of Bangladesh before the coming of winter. There are reports that relatively more patients have been admitted with flu symptoms in some hospitals in different regions of Bangladesh in the past few weeks. And because the symptoms of flu and Covid-19 are similar, there is some panic among people after the symptoms of flu appear.
Influenza or flu is a viral disease. Like the coronavirus, this disease also infects the respiratory system and its symptoms are similar to those of the common cold.
According to the US National Library of Medicine, about 9 percent of the world's population is infected with the flu every year. In other words, every year in the world, about one billion people suffer from infection, of which 30 to 50 million people have severe infection. And 3 to 5 lakh people die every year due to flu.
Symptoms of flu
In Bangladesh, flu outbreaks are usually more common during the winter and at the end of the monsoon. Because the symptoms of common cold and flu are similar, people often cannot tell the difference between the two. In case of flu, symptoms such as headache, sore throat, muscle pain, sneezing, dry cough, fever, loss of sense of taste and smell appear like the common cold.
However, according to the NHS, the UK's healthcare department, there are two main differences between the common cold and the flu. One is that flu symptoms appear in a very short period of time. That is, suddenly within a few hours symptoms like severe fever appear. On the other hand, in the case of cold and fever, the fever increases relatively slowly.
And with the flu, people suddenly feel very weak or tired, which is not the case with the common cold.
How to protect yourself from the flu
Most people who get the flu get better on their own within a few days. But in many cases, people can suffer from flu for a relatively long time.
Even the common flu can become serious if you have a medical condition such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, or cancer. Sadia Siraj, a doctor at Dhaka Children's Hospital, said that the methods to protect oneself in the case of flu and cold fever are almost the same.
"When you have the flu, it's important to stay away from the cold and keep yourself in warm weather. Also, adequate rest and sleep are important in recovering from the flu."
In addition, it is recommended to take Paracetamol or Ibuprofen in order to reduce the severity of fever and body pain on the website of the UK Health Department NHS. It is also advised to consume plenty of water and liquid food.
Flu can also be transmitted from plates, glasses, or utensils used by people with the flu. Therefore, doctors advise to take special precautions in being around people with flu.
Getting the flu vaccine usually reduces the chance of getting the flu. This vaccine should be given once every year. Doctors recommend flu vaccine to avoid complications in the treatment of people suffering from diseases like heart problems, cancer or diabetes.
In addition, to reduce the risk of coronavirus, people over 65 years old, pregnant women, people involved in Covid treatment are recommended to give the flu vaccine by the NHS, the UK's health department. Source: BBC Bangla
