Protect Yourself From Flu This Season

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- Caitlin Geng

Influenza causes up to 650 000 deaths worldwide and more than 11 000 deaths in South Africa each year.

There are four main viruses, including two types of Influenza A, and two types of influenza B. These viruses evolve annually in an unpredictable manner, making it difficult to determine how severely they’ll affect us when flu season arrives. Severe illness due to flu affects around three to five million people globally, including approximately 45 000 South Africans, annually. Almost half of severely affected South Africans require hospitalisation.

Flu viruses circulate worldwide at different times of the year, with South Africa’s seasonal influenza usually occurring between May and September. The viruses can be particularly risky for people with chronic diseases, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis (TB), diabetes and other metabolic disorders, as well as cardiac, pulmonary, renal, hepatic, neurological, haemoglobin and immunosuppressive disorders. Infants younger than two, elderly people over 65, and pregnant women are also at higher risk of developing severe and complicated influenza.