The Department of Preventive Medicine under the Ministry of Health has warned of outbreaks of influenza A/H1N1 when Vietnam enters winter season.
The influenza is acute respiratory infection caused by flu virus A/H1N1 and highly transmitted in the community in the winter season, said the health authority.
Unlike normal seasonal flu, the A/H1N1 virus usually attacks deep into the lungs causing pneumonia and even death if patients do not receive timely treatment.
Worse, the H1N1pdm virus can survive in different environmental settings and existing in air, and the surface of chair, tables or banister rail from 24 to 48 hours and five minutes in palm. In water, at low temperature of 22 Celsius degree, virus can survive at least four days and in water with temperature of zero Celsius degree.
Aerosols, large droplets and contact of the nasal mucosa by contaminated hands all contribute to the transmission of influenza viruses.
The Department of Preventive Medicine pointed out symptoms of the flu including high fever, cough, sore throat, running nose, headache, muscle pain and fatigue. Some of patients could experience serious respiratory failure and deaths even. The flu A /H1N1 has same symptoms like normal seasonal flu so patients can often be tested by normal ways.
Because more people will have the flu in the winter, the department warned measures against the disease including keeping personal hygiene, regularly wash hand with soaps, covering one’s hand when sneezing and coughing. Schools and offices should be cleaned everyday with disinfects. People having the disease should wear masks and stay at home to avoid transmission to others.
