Beware of influenza A

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- In the past week, the number of patients with influenza A admitted to Lang Son General Hospital has increased abnormally. Every day, the Infectious Diseases Department receives an average of 15 patients, with peak days reaching up to 25 cases, most of whom are children.

Doctor of Infectious Diseases Department, Provincial General Hospital examines patient with influenza A

On the afternoon of November 12, Mr. La Hong Linh, 63 years old, in block 4, Dong Kinh ward, had to be hospitalized with a high fever, difficulty breathing, and shivering. He said: At noon, I was still walking normally, but in the afternoon, I suddenly had a high fever and felt extremely tired. My son took me to the hospital, and the doctor said I had influenza A with mild pneumonia and had to stay for observation.

Also on that day, Trieu Quoc Khanh, a second grader at Tam Thanh Primary School, was hospitalized due to a fever of over 39 degrees Celsius and extreme fatigue. Khanh's mother, Ta Thi Hang, shared: "More than 10 students in his class had a fever and had to take a leave of absence. I took my child to the doctor and he said he tested positive for influenza A and needed inpatient treatment because he had difficulty breathing."

In the same room with Khanh, Le Thu Tra, a 4th grade student, block 1, Dong Kinh ward, has been treated since November 11 and has just started to have a fever.

In addition to these cases, the Department of Infectious Diseases, Provincial General Hospital has also recorded many patients continuously hospitalized due to influenza A. From November 6 to now, the department has received an average of about 15 cases of influenza A each day, with peak days reaching up to 25 cases. Compared to the epidemic in early 2025, when the department had 97 inpatients at its peak, this number has now increased to 110 patients.

Most of the patients admitted to the hospital mainly had symptoms of high fever, difficulty breathing, peripheral vasoconstriction, and some severe cases had symptoms of tremors and convulsions. Notably, about 70% of the patients were children, the rest were mainly elderly or had underlying diseases.

To cope with the sudden increase in patients, the department has increased the number of staff on duty at each shift. Previously, each shift had only 1 doctor and 3 nurses, but now it has increased to 2 doctors and 3 nurses; all medical staff work overtime, including holidays. The hospital also mobilized 2 more doctors and 6 nurses from other departments to support, rearranging the treatment area to avoid overload and limit cross-infection.

Dr. Nguyen Quang Luong, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Provincial General Hospital, said: Normally, patients with influenza A are stable after 5 to 7 days of treatment. However, for those with underlying diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or bacterial superinfection, the treatment period can last up to 14 days. We have to closely monitor each case to prevent complications, especially in young children and the elderly.

According to doctors' recommendations, the current season change with cold weather and high humidity is a favorable condition for the influenza A virus to spread quickly. People need to wear masks, wash their hands regularly, keep their bodies warm, open their houses, and especially get vaccinated against influenza A every year. When experiencing symptoms of high fever, body aches, cough, and difficulty breathing, they must go to a medical facility for early examination and treatment. Absolutely do not buy medicine to treat at home.

According to the doctor, the golden time to effectively treat the flu is within 48 hours of the onset of fever. If left too late, the disease can easily cause complications such as pneumonia and respiratory failure, which are especially dangerous for young children and the elderly.

Faced with the rapid increase in the number of influenza A cases, the Provincial General Hospital and medical facilities in the area have been making every effort to treat them and avoid overload. However, to effectively control the epidemic, the awareness of disease prevention of each person is still the key factor. Proactive vaccination, hygiene, early detection and timely treatment are the "shields" to protect the health of oneself and the community.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/canh-bao-cum-a-tang-dot-bien-5064900.html