Many people with severe influenza A had to be hospitalized.

Severe complications in people with underlying diseases

Most of the severe influenza A patients being treated at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases have underlying diseases, so they are susceptible to serious complications.

Patient NVA, being treated at the Intensive Care Unit, Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases for influenza A, still requires a ventilator and dialysis.

Four days before being admitted to the hospital, Mr. A. had flu symptoms, his respiratory condition progressed rapidly and became severe, so he was taken to the hospital and was diagnosed with influenza A. The patient had many underlying diseases such as: chronic kidney failure, high blood pressure, diabetes, complications of cerebrovascular accident...

X-ray results showed that the patient had "white lungs", 50-60% lung damage and diffuse damage to both lungs. Doctors had to put him on a ventilator, perform continuous blood filtration, and control kidney failure...

Another male patient, 51 years old, is also in a serious condition due to influenza A. The patient showed flu symptoms with high fever, headache, and difficulty breathing. He was hospitalized and found to have influenza A with underlying cirrhosis and hepatitis C, which caused the body to have a weakened immune system, making his condition worse. In recent weeks, at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases, the number of influenza A cases requiring hospitalization has increased rapidly; in which, at the Kim Chung facility, Dong Anh, about 15 patients with severe influenza A are being treated; in which, in the Intensive Care Department, there are 3 cases of severe influenza A requiring ventilators.

MSc. Dr. Pham Van Phuc, Deputy Head of the Intensive Care Department, Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases, said: "Patients with influenza A often have common symptoms such as fever, cough, sneezing, runny nose... but for those with underlying diseases, the disease can easily progress to severe symptoms such as chest tightness and difficulty breathing that progress rapidly."

People at risk need to be vigilant about disease prevention.

Dr. Pham Van Phuc warns that during the current winter-spring season, the flu has "entered the season", so the number of cases is increasing and it is very contagious.

There are two groups of people who are susceptible to severe flu: children and the elderly with many underlying diseases; especially those with underlying cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

According to Dr. Pham Van Phuc, the flu epidemic has not shown any difference compared to previous years; however, it is still early in the season, so it is not yet known exactly what changes will occur, and people need to be very careful to prevent the disease.

The doctor also noted that at the present time, especially when both COVID-19 and influenza are circulating, it is very easy to get infected with both viruses. Worryingly, treating the two overlapping diseases is often difficult because the patient's condition can progress more quickly, and when treating, both diseases must be treated together. Especially when the patient has lesions of both causes in the same location, treatment is much more difficult.

Therefore, to prevent the flu, doctors note that people with underlying diseases and children should get vaccinated against the flu; avoid crowded places because the flu can easily spread through the respiratory tract.

“Currently, there is a vaccine to prevent influenza, and children of age should be vaccinated for prevention. Vaccination may not prevent influenza infection, but it will be effective in avoiding severe complications. There are many different types of influenza viruses, which can change from year to year, so people should get vaccinated every year; especially those with underlying diseases, and children should get vaccinated against influenza,” Dr. Tran Van Phuc recommended.

To prevent flu, people need to take measures such as:

- Ensure personal hygiene, cover your mouth when sneezing, wash your hands regularly with soap, and clean your nose and throat daily with salt water.

- Keep your body warm and eat nutritious food to improve your health.

- Get vaccinated against seasonal flu.

- Limit contact with flu patients or suspected cases when not necessary.