• Infection Control

  5 Million Cases Worldwide, 650,000 Deaths Annually, is Flu the forgotten killer?

  Posted by Nigel Brown on 6 June 2020 at 7:27 am

  The common flu virus will infect millions across the globe this year, just like in previous years. It can be easily spread and will especially strike the young and the elderly. But this is almost forgotten as the world is obsessed and focused entirely on the corona virus outbreak, yet statistics show the common flu is far deadlier.

  The initial symptoms of coronavirus are typically similar to those of a cold or flu, which means it is hard for people to know if they are infected, especially given that the outbreak coincided with the flu season in many countries.

  Both influenza and COVID-19 can be transmitted in the same ways and both can present in the same ways. They share many similarities, but many differences as well.

  Both influenza and COVID-19 can:

  • Cause fever, cough, body aches, fatigue and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea.
  • Be mild or severe, but rarely fatal
  • Result in pneumonia
  • Be spread from person to person through coughing, sneezing or talking, and both can be spread before symptoms appear.

  Now that you know the similarities, here’s a look at the differences between the flu and COVID-19.

  Causes:

  • The flu can be caused by a number of different strains of influenza viruses.
  • COVID-19 is caused by one virus, the novel 2019 coronavirus.

  Transmission:

  • The flu and COVID-19 can both be spread when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks
  • COVID-19 can also be spread through the air when tiny droplets hang in the air even after the infected person leaves the room.

  Using the term “coronavirus” can cause confusion as well. COVID-19 is a coronavirus, but not the only one. COVID-19 specifies a certain strain of a coronavirus (COronaVIrus Disease-2019 = COVID-19).

  Human coronaviruses were first identified in the mid-1960s, and seven of them can infect people, including three that made headlines over the years:

  • MERS-CoV (the beta coronavirus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS)
  • SARS-CoV (the beta coronavirus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS)
  • SARS-CoV-2 (the novel coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19)

  People around the world often get infected with four other common human coronaviruses – 229E, NL63, OC43 and HKU1. In fact, most people get infected with one of these at some point in their life. They present like the common cold, with mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses.

  Influenza and any coronavirus, including COVID-19, may be prevented by frequent, thorough hand washing, coughing into your elbow, staying home when sick and limiting contact with infected people.

  Good personal hygiene can be a life saver!

  

  Nigel Brown replied 4 years, 4 months ago 1 Member · 0 Replies
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