The current flu season is likely to be one of the worst on record in Mexico, as multiple viruses such as influenza (type A and B), covid-19 and respiratory syncytial RSV are circulating simultaneously for the first time, leading to serious infections such as Bronchitis and pneumonia.
Epidemiologist Jorge Baruch Díaz said this could lead to co-infections in the population, increasing the risk of hospitalization, intensive care units and even death.
“This is new to everyone, there is no previous data, and this is the first time that covid-19 has spread significantly along with other respiratory viruses such as influenza A and B and respiratory syncytial virus. So we Extreme precautions must be taken because we have not experienced a season like this before,” said Baruch Díaz, head of the travel clinic at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).
“During this pandemic, we have only seen coronavirus spreading with other rhinoviruses, mild everyday flu, but not with respiratory syncytial virus or influenza, which are serious illnesses that can lead to complications or death , which is much more likely than rhinovirus.” , he added in an interview.
This flu season officially begins in November 2023 and ends in April 2024, and health systems “will be under greater pressure during this season than other seasons” because in previous periods “people typically contracted COVID-19 when they were infected, and showing signs of serious illness, complications such as pneumonia, difficulty breathing, prolonged high fever, resistance to paracetamol, or feeling very tired when walking.”
Among other things, Baruch Díaz added, children between 6 months and 6 years old are “left aside” from protection against Covid-19 (approximately 10 million of them) in the current national vaccination campaign.
“These are populations that are at high risk for complications and even consequences from COVID because they can’t get vaccinated in Mexico.”
Covid-19 began circulating in the country at the same time as influenza B and A viruses, such as the H3N2 and H1N1 pandemic strains; in addition to bacteria and respiratory fungi, there was respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which in 2022 There is a significant rebound and the behavior is upward.
Source: Millennium