Influenza A is on the rise, many children have to stay home from school and be hospitalized for treatment.

Cúm A gia tăng, nhiều trẻ phải nghỉ học, nhập viện điều trị - Ảnh 1. — Doctors at Hanoi Children's Hospital examine a child with influenza A - Photo: T.THAO

Influenza A cases increase

According to Tuoi Tre Online , the number of seasonal flu cases in Hanoi has recently tended to increase. At the National Children's Hospital, the number of seasonal flu cases, especially influenza A, has increased significantly since the beginning of October. In the first week of November alone, the hospital received more than 1,500 cases positive for flu, of which more than 150 children had to be hospitalized due to complications such as pneumonia, otitis media, and convulsions due to high fever.

At Hanoi Children's Hospital, about 280 children come to the clinic every day for flu treatment, 7-10 cases have to be hospitalized. The hospital is currently treating more than 30 children, most of whom are hospitalized with high fever, cough, runny nose, and some cases have serious complications.

The Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases is also treating more than 30 patients with seasonal flu, most of whom are young children and people with weak immune systems.

Seasonal flu not only increases the number of visits and hospitalizations, but also forces many schools to temporarily close to prevent the epidemic.

At Con Cuong Ethnic Boarding Secondary School ( Nghe An ), up to 388 students were given a day off. According to initial statistics, many classes had from 9 to 22 students hospitalized, the rest are being treated at home.

In Hanoi, many schools also recorded an increase in the number of students taking leave due to flu symptoms.

According to doctors, the changing of seasons is an ideal condition for viruses, including influenza A, B and C, to thrive. This is also the reason why the number of seasonal flu cases increases rapidly in the community. Accordingly, depending on the strain of virus, flu causes different symptoms and severity.

Be careful of people at risk of serious illness.

Dr. Nguyen Sy Duc - Department of Infectious Diseases, Hanoi Children's Hospital - shared that since the end of October, the number of flu patients, especially influenza A, has increased. There was even a time when the number of flu patients receiving treatment increased 5 times compared to the previous period.

Children were mainly hospitalized with typical signs of influenza including fever, chills, sore throat, dry cough, sneezing, headache, muscle and joint pain and general fatigue.

"Most mild cases of flu can go away on their own after a few days, but the disease can become severe quickly, especially in young children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with chronic diseases," said Dr. Duc.

Doctor Duc shared that he had just received treatment for a patient with complications of encephalitis caused by influenza A. The patient, over 3 years old, was admitted in a state of convulsions and coma just 24 hours after the onset of fever.

The child was diagnosed with influenza-induced encephalitis and required intensive care, mechanical ventilation, and nerve-damage-suppressing drugs. Although the child has survived the critical condition, there may be long-term sequelae.

MSc. Do Thi Thuy Hau, head nurse of the Tropical Disease Center - National Children's Hospital, also recommends that parents pay special attention to children at risk of severe progression, monitor warning signs such as high fever that does not go down, rapid breathing, convulsions, fatigue, cyanosis... and take the child to the hospital immediately.

In mild cases, parents should know how to properly care for the patient at home to avoid spreading and reduce complications," Dr. Hau recommended.

Patients should rest, drink enough water, keep warm, reduce fever and avoid buying antiviral drugs without a doctor's prescription.