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Vicious flu outbreak hits Durban <table style="width: 405px; height: 44px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td style="width: 360px;" class="caption">
August 21 2007 at 12:13PM </td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="height: 1px; background-color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">
</td></tr> </tbody></table> By Troy Martens
A vicious flu virus is sweeping across Durban, and people with chest ailments have been warned to take extra care.
The spread of the virus, which has led to several patients being admitted to hospital, has in part been speeded up by the ending of the recent public service strike.
The outbreak does not fall directly within the Durban flu season, which is usually around June and July, but can go on until early September. This season is later than usual.
<!--pull quote --><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="6" width="130"><tbody><tr><td class="pullquote">'This season is later than usual'</td></tr></tbody></table><!--pull quote end -->Dr Prithy Ramlachan, who runs a medical practice in Newlands, attributes this to the fact that schools were out during June and July because of the public service strike. Now that schools are back the virus is spreading easily again.
Nursing staff, hospitals and paramedics have all confirmed an increase in flu patients in the past week.
According to Ramlachan, this debilitating flu takes only about 10 minutes before people start feeling the symptoms.
"I have seen a marked number of people suffering from the flu, the difference between the early symptoms of this flu and a cold are the chills you will feel in the early stages.
I've been dealing with patients since last week who come into my rooms wearing big jackets and scarves saying they have never been so cold. Yet it was a sunny day outside," said Ramlachan.
<!--pull quote --><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="6" width="130"><tbody><tr><td class="pullquote">'The virus is spreading easily'</td></tr></tbody></table><!--pull quote end -->"We haven't seen flu like this in Durban in years," said Melanie van der Walt, head sister at the Bluff Medicross Clinic.
She said it was so bad because in many cases it results in people developing lung infections and sinus infections.
These can damage the lining of the air passages and leave people with a persistent cough for a long period of time.
"People with a history of lung problems, asthma or emphysema, should be extra cautious, as should children under five and the elderly," said Van der Walt.
"We have had to book many people off work and school because of the incapacitating nature of this flu," said Van der Walt.
Besides the chilled feeling, the symptoms are fairly typical of the flu, head and back pain, runny nose and sore throat. People may also experience feelings of prostration, and laziness.
"This is the body's way of telling you that you should stay in bed and rest," said Ramlachan.
He said there was a fairly new medication he was prescribing to his patients called Tamiflu, which in his opinion treats the symptoms effectively.
Hospitals are also having to deal with the flu outbreak.
"We have a number of admissions at Netcare St Augustine's currently, mainly those with bronchitis resulting from influenza, but there is no cause for alarm," said St Augustines' spokesperson, Leanne Nyiri.
Dr Jaco Folmer, Director of SAA Netcare Travel Clinics, said this strain of virus is an A strain. "It is the Wisconsin virus that is currently causing quite a lot of illness," he said.
Paramedics have also reported that they have been transporting increased numbers of patients who are suffering from this flu virus.
ER 24 spokesperson Derrick Banks said: "In the past week we have experienced an increase in the number of flu patients.
"We have to be very careful when transporting them as it's very contagious. We have to decontaminate and wipe down all equipment to curb the spread of the virus."
Vicious flu outbreak hits Durban <table style="width: 405px; height: 44px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td style="width: 360px;" class="caption">
August 21 2007 at 12:13PM </td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="height: 1px; background-color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">
</td></tr> </tbody></table> By Troy Martens
A vicious flu virus is sweeping across Durban, and people with chest ailments have been warned to take extra care.
The spread of the virus, which has led to several patients being admitted to hospital, has in part been speeded up by the ending of the recent public service strike.
The outbreak does not fall directly within the Durban flu season, which is usually around June and July, but can go on until early September. This season is later than usual.
<!--pull quote --><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="6" width="130"><tbody><tr><td class="pullquote">'This season is later than usual'</td></tr></tbody></table><!--pull quote end -->Dr Prithy Ramlachan, who runs a medical practice in Newlands, attributes this to the fact that schools were out during June and July because of the public service strike. Now that schools are back the virus is spreading easily again.
Nursing staff, hospitals and paramedics have all confirmed an increase in flu patients in the past week.
According to Ramlachan, this debilitating flu takes only about 10 minutes before people start feeling the symptoms.
"I have seen a marked number of people suffering from the flu, the difference between the early symptoms of this flu and a cold are the chills you will feel in the early stages.
I've been dealing with patients since last week who come into my rooms wearing big jackets and scarves saying they have never been so cold. Yet it was a sunny day outside," said Ramlachan.
<!--pull quote --><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="6" width="130"><tbody><tr><td class="pullquote">'The virus is spreading easily'</td></tr></tbody></table><!--pull quote end -->"We haven't seen flu like this in Durban in years," said Melanie van der Walt, head sister at the Bluff Medicross Clinic.
She said it was so bad because in many cases it results in people developing lung infections and sinus infections.
These can damage the lining of the air passages and leave people with a persistent cough for a long period of time.
"People with a history of lung problems, asthma or emphysema, should be extra cautious, as should children under five and the elderly," said Van der Walt.
"We have had to book many people off work and school because of the incapacitating nature of this flu," said Van der Walt.
Besides the chilled feeling, the symptoms are fairly typical of the flu, head and back pain, runny nose and sore throat. People may also experience feelings of prostration, and laziness.
"This is the body's way of telling you that you should stay in bed and rest," said Ramlachan.
He said there was a fairly new medication he was prescribing to his patients called Tamiflu, which in his opinion treats the symptoms effectively.
Hospitals are also having to deal with the flu outbreak.
"We have a number of admissions at Netcare St Augustine's currently, mainly those with bronchitis resulting from influenza, but there is no cause for alarm," said St Augustines' spokesperson, Leanne Nyiri.
Dr Jaco Folmer, Director of SAA Netcare Travel Clinics, said this strain of virus is an A strain. "It is the Wisconsin virus that is currently causing quite a lot of illness," he said.
Paramedics have also reported that they have been transporting increased numbers of patients who are suffering from this flu virus.
ER 24 spokesperson Derrick Banks said: "In the past week we have experienced an increase in the number of flu patients.
"We have to be very careful when transporting them as it's very contagious. We have to decontaminate and wipe down all equipment to curb the spread of the virus."
- This article was originally published on page 1 of Daily News on August 21, 2007