Health deptt issues influenza advisory, suggests precaution

Srinagar, Oct 21: The Health Department Kashmir has issued season’s first advisory about the influenza and asked people to take precautionary measures.
“Influenza is an acute viral infection of the respiratory tract. Although the large majority of cases of influenza are a self-limiting upper respiratory infection, complications can and do occur. The influenza virus has subtypes A, B and C. Type A and B give rise to epidemics, but influenza A is known to cause pandemics (e.g influenza A HINI). Type C infection usually causes either a very mild respiratory illness or no symptoms at all, it does not cause epidemics. Influenza (flu) is a common contagious illness that spreads every year from October through winter,” the advisory said.
It said the symptoms are cough fever, chills, sore throat, muscle aches fatigue, headache and a runny or stuffy nose in children it can cause diarrhoea and vomiting. “Most people will have only a mild less but in some people can cause serious disease and even death,” it said.
The advisory said the virus spreads from person to person just like normal seasonal flu, inhaled droplets from coughing/sneezing and droplets and surfaces.
It said that the time from when a person is exposed to the flu virus to when symptoms begin is about one to four days with an average of about two days.
The advisory asked people to take precautions. “Cover nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Wash your hands with soap and water especially after you cough or sneeze,” it said.
“Avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth, germs etc. Stay home if you get sick. Stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep the infection away,” it added.
The advisory advised people to take precautions in view of the rise in influenza viruses that cause infectious disease known as flu.