Acute respiratory infections are on the rise in the district, reported the RZI – Smolyan. During the week of November 13-19, according to data from the sentinel surveillance, the incidence of influenza and acute respiratory diseases was 124.4 per 10,000. An increase and rise of the epidemic process was registered. The most affected age groups are 0-4 years and 5-14 years. COVID-19 also continues to circulate, although the registered cases are few. As of November 17, the requirement for mandatory isolation and quarantine of sick people and their contacts has been dropped.
Acute respiratory diseases are the most common infections in humans. They present with a clinic typical of an acute infection of the respiratory system – acute onset, fever, headache, adynamia, general malaise, runny nose and cough. In the stage of increasing acute respiratory diseases, experts recommend avoiding closed spaces where many people gather because of the possibility of potential virus carriers, as well as physical proximity predisposing to easy transmission of viruses from person to person. Ventilate and clean the premises often. Maintain good personal hygiene. To wear a mask especially in means of transport and in medical facilities – it can be worn by both the sick and the healthy. It prevents the spread of viruses if the sick person carries it. To be effective, the mask must be changed every 2 hours, otherwise the humidification from the exhaled air makes it permeable. Conduct a strict morning filter in kindergartens and exclude children and staff with symptoms of respiratory illness.
“The application of general preventive and anti-epidemic measures limits the spread of viruses in society, especially during the season of influenza epidemics. This slows down the course of the epidemic and reduces its intensity. In this way, it is possible to reduce the total number of sick, severe forms of influenza, the mortality and lethality associated with them. The load on the health care system, the economy is lightened, financial losses related to the absence from work of employees and workers at the same time are limited”, the health inspectorate also says.
