The United States of America is hit by the common cold around January to February. The influenza virus is already spreading rapidly in 40 states, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the common types of virus are the Influenza A and Influenza B.
UPI reported that the Influenza A and B are spreading very rapidly, with over 12,000 cases every week on an average. The count is likely to increase since a majority of the adults who suffer from influenza do not go to visit the doctor since they consider to be a common cold.
The same common cold has ended up taking the life of 15 children since the middle of January. There aren’t any cases of adult deaths because of the same reason, but then a majority of the adults do not report influenza to their doctor.
The states that are worst hit by the influenza virus are New Jersey, Kansas, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Missouri, New York, and Oklahoma. They are states that have reported majority number of infected people.
While many blame the cold climate for the disease, doctors say that it isn’t because of the chill in the air. During winter times, people tend to stay indoor more, and this causes the germs to pass on faster.
Doctors have come out to inform that even though the virus have started spreading, it isn’t too late for people to take precaution against it. Those who are at a high risk to get infected can easily get a flu shot to keep the virus at bay.
The flu shot is made out of the common flu strains. Even though the virus is dead and doesn’t infect the person shot by it, it immediately increases the body’s immunity to ward off that virus. Thus, fending off the influenza virus and ensuring that the person remains healthy.
According to Patch, the CDC has asked everyone at the age of 6 months and above to go for a flu shot every year by the end of October, so that they are protected during the onset of the flu season. The CDC has also asked people to avoid taking the nasal spray since a 2016-2017 report showed that it isn’t effective in preventing the flu.
Flu and the common cold are similar in their symptoms, barring a few minor differences. While cold worsens over the course of a few days, getting worse with the passage of time, the flu sets in quickly and worsens in less than a few hours.
Symptoms of the flu include high fever along with cold, body aches and soreness in the muscles. Since influenza is a virus, there aren’t any treatment for the same. Doctors treat disease with the help of painkillers and decongestants.
With the onset of the flu season, hospitals have started preparing for a large number of influenza patients. Fay Observer reported that an adult in Cumberland County died of complications arising from upper respiratory illness.
Pamela James, the supervisor of the school health program and immunization clinic in Cumberland County Health Department, has said that
To curb the virus from spreading, hospitals and medical centers in high-risk states have started enforcing restrictions on hospitals and centers. These limitations limit the visitors from being close to the patients and also keeps a check on how many visitors can enter an emergency room to visit the patient.