Sandra Alexiu, president of the Association of Family Doctors Bucharest-Ilfov, is amazed by the large number of flu cases. “I don't know that I have seen so many cases of influenza every day in the office, as I have seen for three or four weeks now“, says the doctor.
Child with flu SOURCE: shutterstock
Romania entered a state of epidemiological alert last week due to the flu. This after the number of respiratory infections doubled in the last three weeks, and deaths tripled. In a post on his Facebook page, doctor Sandra Alexiu says that the number of patients with flu is increasing.
“I don't know that I have seen so many cases of influenza every day in the office, as I have seen for three or four weeks now. It is true that now with affordable rapid tests at hand it is easier to make the diagnosis faster and save time. We managed to obtain funds from the AMFB to purchase 360 boxes of combined rapid tests for influenza A+B and Covid for the colleagues in Bucharest and Ilfov”claims Dr. Sandra Alexiu.
The faster we diagnose from the first symptoms, the faster we can act with antivirals available when needed. The first 24-48 hours are decisive, the doctor claims.
The most important weapon against the flu, according to Dr. Alexiu, is “vaccination, which is done from the age of six months”.
“I hope that everyone who is now going through the flu for the first time in their life and seeing how bad it is, will remember until October 1st when the vaccination for the next season starts!”concludes Dr. Sandra Alexiu.
Romania entered a state of epidemiological alert
The Ministry of Health declared a state of epidemiological alert due to the flu. The decision was taken after, in the last three weeks, the number of respiratory infections recorded weekly doubled at the end of January compared to the beginning of the year, and the number of deaths tripled
According to information published by the National Center for Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases (CNSCBT), we have a quarter more illnesses per week compared to the average for the years 2016-2023 and more than 35% more cases compared to the same period last year. Specifically, 133,057 cases of respiratory infections (clinical flu, IACRS and pneumonia) in the week of January 22-28.
