Four deaths, how dangerous is influenza A?

Binh Dinh Province Department of Health has just issued an urgent document, announcing the situation of 9 scattered cases of A/H1pdm flu, including 4 deaths.

Worrying about the mortality rate

Binh Dinh province has recorded 842 cases of mixed influenza, 22 cases of severe pneumonia suspected to be caused by virus infection. Of these, 9 cases were confirmed positive for influenza A/H1pdm scattered in Quy Nhon city (4 cases), Phu My district (3 cases), An Nhon town (1 case) and Vinh Thanh district (1 case). Of which, 4 cases have died (3 cases in Phu My and 1 case in Vinh Thanh).

Binh Dinh Province Department of Health has just issued an urgent document, announcing the situation of 9 scattered cases of A/H1pdm flu, including 4 deaths.

Faced with the above developments, the Binh Dinh Department of Health requires hospitals, units and local medical centers to be proactive in immediately applying medical isolation measures when detecting suspected or confirmed cases of influenza A/H1pdm.

Thereby, it is necessary to quickly assess the patient's condition to classify the level. In case of severe signs, it is necessary to immediately transfer to intensive care with root cause treatment and timely transfer to a higher level to minimize mortality.

In cases of influenza A/H1pdm with complications or risk factors, antiviral drugs should be considered and immediately prescribed; consider preventive treatment with the antiviral drug Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) for people at high risk of influenza complications. Units should proactively ensure a stock of antiviral drugs Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or Zanamivir for medical examination and treatment...

Previously, talking about this epidemic, Mr. Hoang Minh Duc, Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health said that influenza A is one of the common strains of influenza virus, causing acute respiratory infections.

This virus has the ability to spread rapidly in the community, especially through droplets from the nose and mouth when an infected person coughs or sneezes or through direct contact with objects contaminated with the virus, which then spreads through the nose and throat.

In addition to the A/H1N1 influenza virus strain, other major influenza virus strains that cause seasonal flu include A/H3N2, influenza B, and influenza C.

The A/H1N1 flu virus caused a global pandemic in 2009, infecting millions of people. The danger level of A/H1N1 flu is not as high as that of avian flu A/H5N1 or A/H7N9, but it can cause severe pneumonia, respiratory failure and death, especially in people with underlying diseases or weak immune systems.

In Vietnam, the first case of A/H1N1 flu was recorded in May 2009. Since then, A/H1N1 flu has circulated in the community, with the potential to break out into small epidemics.

The World Health Organization has warned that influenza A/H1N1 can be fatal in people with chronic diseases or weakened immune systems. Each year, the world records about 250,000-500,000 flu-related deaths, of which influenza A/H1N1 is one of the common agents.

According to experts, infectious disease patterns change, not seasonally. The flu virus mutates into a new strain every year, so scientists are constantly updating and researching to produce vaccines to prevent the disease.

This is why flu vaccines usually have short-term immunity, only effective for about 1 year, and people are recommended to get a flu vaccine booster after 1 year.

Seasonal flu is usually benign but in some cases can progress to severe symptoms such as high fever, difficulty breathing, pulmonary edema due to heart failure, and can even cause death.

Therefore, people over 50 years old, immunocompromised, with underlying diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, COPD, children... should get vaccinated every year.

The Ministry of Health said that it is currently the time of changing seasons, favorable for the development of respiratory pathogens, especially seasonal flu.

The best preventive measure is to get a flu vaccine every year and follow personal hygiene measures, avoiding close contact with sick people. When having flu symptoms, especially high fever and body aches, people should go to the doctor early for diagnosis.

Reducing deaths with vaccines

With such consequences, the question is how to prevent the flu. We all know that when someone has the flu, we need to isolate, clean the environment, and wear masks. However, these are not radical measures. Prevention with vaccines is the most effective and safest measure.

Dr. Nguyen Tuan Hai, Safpo/Potec vaccination system, said that seasonal flu is caused by influenza viruses (usually 4 strains from H1N1, H3N2 and 2 group B strains) and it spreads in the community with the ability to continuously change antigens (we will often be exposed to new influenza viruses) but according to certain genetic rules. Because each year, the circulating influenza virus strains are different, we need to get a booster shot for seasonal flu vaccine every year (once a year).

The World Health Organization (WHO) has long established seasonal influenza virus monitoring stations around the world (including in Vietnam) to isolate and identify seasonal influenza viruses circulating in regions (geographical regions, climates, Northern and Southern hemispheres, etc.).

From there, predict and determine the influenza virus strain that will appear in the winter-spring season in the Northern Hemisphere (from October to the end of April next year) and in the winter-spring season in the Southern Hemisphere (from May to October every year).

From determining which influenza virus strains are likely to prevail where (Northern and Southern Hemispheres), WHO will provide guidelines on influenza virus strains for the production of seasonal influenza vaccines for vaccine manufacturers to follow and supply to the market at the best time (Northern Hemisphere is around August-September, and Southern Hemisphere is around April-May every year).

That is why we living in Vietnam need to get a seasonal flu vaccine once a year and before the flu season starts as well as getting the recommended seasonal vaccine.

Because Vietnam is located in the tropical monsoon region, the flu season in the North and the South may differ slightly in time, but because we are located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and according to WHO recommendations, we should get the correct Northern Hemisphere seasonal vaccine, which covers from this winter to the end of next spring.

According to experts, anyone can get the flu, but it is most common in people with an incomplete immune system or weak resistance, such as infants: Infants under 6 months of age who have not been vaccinated against the flu are at very high risk of getting the flu.

For babies born prematurely (under 32 weeks old) with health risks are more likely to get the flu and have more severe symptoms.

Children, especially children under 2 years old with incomplete immune systems, are at high risk of infectious diseases, including seasonal flu.

For children with underlying medical conditions such as asthma, metabolic disorders, congenital heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, etc., the risk of influenza and complications is especially high, so children are always recommended to be fully vaccinated against influenza and get a booster shot once a year.

Adults >65 years old; people with chronic underlying diseases such as diabetes, heart and lung disease, kidney or liver failure, immunodeficiency... are susceptible to serious complications when infected with the flu.

Pregnant or breastfeeding women also need to pay special attention to avoid catching the flu because it can greatly affect their health. Accordingly, when pregnant, a woman's body has many changes, hormones change, the immune system is weaker, causing their resistance to decrease.

This makes the pregnant woman's body more sensitive and vulnerable to pathogens. Similarly, after giving birth, a woman's physical health and resistance are reduced, making it easier for the flu virus to attack.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/bon-ca-tu-vong-dich-cum-a-nguy-hiem-the-nao-d230905.html