In the past days the public has been complaining about a “bad flu” that’s been going around not knowing that the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is currently at its peak and circulating in the country. The Department of Health confirmed this and warned the public to take precaution measures against the virus which is expected to be worse in winter.
Spokesperson for the department, Foster Mohale, said RSV is spreading rapidly with the Corona virus continuing to spread at low levels. “The National Institute for Communicable Diseases has a surveillance system which monitors the circulation of respiratory viruses throughout the country and has notified the department that it is currently the peak season of RSV which can be confused by some people with Covid-19 or SARS-CoV-2 due to common symptoms. While most diseases caused by influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 viruses are mild, these viruses may cause severe illness and even de@th among the citizens around the country, particularly in individuals with conditions placing them at high risk of severe disease,” said Mohale.
Mohale said influenza season will be peaking in the next few weeks and urged the public to get vaccinated. “It is advisable for people, especially those at high risk of severe influenza (adults aged 65 years and older, people with underlying illness such as heart and lung disease and people living with HIV and tuberculosis, as well as pregnant people), to get the influenza vaccine to prevent severe health complications in case they contract this virus.”
He said the Influenza vaccine is available in public clinics at no cost. “The vaccine can also be purchased in the private sector at several pharmacies for other people who fall in the high-risk groups as well as for those who do not fall into one of the risk groups, but who would like to protect themselves from influenza.
Source Zimoja
