Tweet
COLUMNS
Unexplained flu-like illness: Another pandemic?
Influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory infection have become common in recent years.
Dr Sher Bahadur Pun
Published at : February 23, 2023 Updated at : February 24, 2023 07:20
Each year, the flu-like illness usually peaks in February-April and July-September in Nepal. In most cases, influenza virus testing is recommended for people who have flu-like symptoms. Among the flu-like cases, only 8-18 percent were found positive for influenza virus, from the beginning of 2023 till February 12, meaning that 82 percent of the flu-like illnesses are actually caused by non-flu viruses. In other words, unknown flu-like illnesses are widely circulating in Nepal. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) statistics report, influenza-like illnesses (non-influenza virus) are widespread across the world.
...
In 2019, Nepal first reported bird flu infection, i.e. H5N1, in a 21-year-old young male, who later died of complications. Prior to this incident (a couple of days before), I had examined other suspected bird flu cases who developed the ILI after disposing of chickens (hundreds of dead chickens per day) following sudden unexplained deaths. A few days ago, Nepal reported an outbreak of H5N1 bird flu on poultry farms in Kathmandu Valley. A study conducted in Nepal found that most farmers do not wear face masks and wash their hands regularly after handling poultry. It poses a significant risk of transmission of bird flu infection to poultry farmers. Unfortunately, it is unlikely to detect bird flu infection in farmers with ILI/SARI early since laboratory testing is not widely available or accessible in Nepal. Bird flu infection may go unnoticed until complications occur, as with a young male in 2019.
...
Dr Sher Bahadur Pun
Pun is Chief of the Clinical Research Unit at Sukraraj Tropical & Infectious Disease Hospital.
https://kathmandupost.com/columns/20...other-pandemic
-------------------
See also:
Nepal - Bird flu outbreak in poultry 2023
https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/...023#post968937
Unexplained flu-like illness: Another pandemic?
Influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory infection have become common in recent years.
Dr Sher Bahadur Pun
Published at : February 23, 2023 Updated at : February 24, 2023 07:20
Each year, the flu-like illness usually peaks in February-April and July-September in Nepal. In most cases, influenza virus testing is recommended for people who have flu-like symptoms. Among the flu-like cases, only 8-18 percent were found positive for influenza virus, from the beginning of 2023 till February 12, meaning that 82 percent of the flu-like illnesses are actually caused by non-flu viruses. In other words, unknown flu-like illnesses are widely circulating in Nepal. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) statistics report, influenza-like illnesses (non-influenza virus) are widespread across the world.
...
In 2019, Nepal first reported bird flu infection, i.e. H5N1, in a 21-year-old young male, who later died of complications. Prior to this incident (a couple of days before), I had examined other suspected bird flu cases who developed the ILI after disposing of chickens (hundreds of dead chickens per day) following sudden unexplained deaths. A few days ago, Nepal reported an outbreak of H5N1 bird flu on poultry farms in Kathmandu Valley. A study conducted in Nepal found that most farmers do not wear face masks and wash their hands regularly after handling poultry. It poses a significant risk of transmission of bird flu infection to poultry farmers. Unfortunately, it is unlikely to detect bird flu infection in farmers with ILI/SARI early since laboratory testing is not widely available or accessible in Nepal. Bird flu infection may go unnoticed until complications occur, as with a young male in 2019.
...
Dr Sher Bahadur Pun
Pun is Chief of the Clinical Research Unit at Sukraraj Tropical & Infectious Disease Hospital.
https://kathmandupost.com/columns/20...other-pandemic
-------------------
See also:
Nepal - Bird flu outbreak in poultry 2023
https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/...023#post968937