Around 2,000 new flu cases have been reported over the past week. Doctors are advising people to be cautious about visiting others during the holidays if they suspect they may be ill.
The family doctor advisory line 1220 is nearing record levels, handling over 1,000 calls per day, many of which are related to flu cases. This year’s virus season began about a month earlier than usual. Since the start of the season, more than 200 people have been hospitalized and five deaths have been recorded.
“We’ve seen about 2,000 new flu cases in the past week alone and these are still preliminary figures. That’s an increase of roughly 27 percent. In fact, epidemic-level spread has begun and the virus is circulating widely across all counties and age groups,” said Olga Sadikova, chief specialist at the Health Board’s flu center.
“Week by week, we’re seeing a rise in cases not only of the flu but also of other acute respiratory viruses, such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which typically causes a dry, irritating cough,” said family doctor Jelizaveta Kaledina.
The dominant strains this season are both the former pandemic A(H1N1) flu virus and a newer variant, A(H3N2).
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