ISLAMABAD: The National Institute of Health (NIH) issued an advisory for the prevention and control of Seasonal Influenza in the wake of the expected surge in influenza cases in different parts of the country.
According to NIH, the advisory aims at alerting and facilitating the health authorities and other stakeholders to ensure timely preventive and control measures, encompassing preparedness to deal with the increased workload expected in the outpatient and in-patient departments during the next few months.
The advisory discussed that Influenza (seasonal flu) can spread from person-to-person through coughing or sneezing or can contaminate hands or other surfaces. It said that patients with chronic diseases (such as asthma, diabetes, cardiac and lungs diseases, etc.) pregnant women, elderly people, and children under five years are at higher risk of developing severe or complicated diseases.
The advisory said that vaccination is the most effective way to prevent infection and severe outcomes caused by influenza viruses, particularly in high-risk groups.
The advisory emphasized that if someone is sick or has been in close-contact with persons having a flu-like illness, he or she should adopt preventive measures for limiting Influenza transmission including frequent and thorough hand washing with soap and water and the use of hand sanitizer when away from hand washing facility, covering mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing, sick patients to take rest, and avoid crowds and taking social distancing measures.
Flu viruses are continuously changing with the likelihood of the emergence of new flu viruses every year. This makes Influenza an unpredictable disease with varying extent of spread, timing, severity, and length of the season.
An upsurge of cases in Pakistan is usually been observed in the winter season. The flu cases increase as temperature falls during December and February.
It said that the Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC) at the Field Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Division (FE&DSD) of NIH was regularly monitoring the flu situation.
FE&DSD of NIH has also issued Seasonal Awareness and Alert Letters (SAAL) for awareness of public health professionals regarding epidemic-prone diseases including Influenza.
