Created: yesterday, 3:21 PM
A flu epidemic has broken out in the Netherlands. This is reported by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). Last week 68 out of 100,000 people with flu-like symptoms went to the doctor. The flu epidemic starts relatively late this year. This may be due to the mild winter. Flu spreads more easily in cold and dry air.
“This is above the limit for a flu epidemic for the second week. We are talking about a flu epidemic if two weeks in a row more than 58 out of 100,000 people have flu-like symptoms and at least 10 percent of these people suffer from the influenza virus, “a spokesperson explains. The influenza virus causes the “real” flu, the other viruses have similar symptoms.
Spread over the Netherlands, forty GP practices keep track of how many patients report with flu-like symptoms. They also examine which virus these patients are infected with (influenza virus, rhinovirus, RS virus or enterovirus).
Sudden fever
Influenza was found in about 40 percent of the samples that were taken. Typical for real flu is very sudden fever that can go up to 39 degrees or higher. The rhinovirus, the RS virus and the enterovirus can cause symptoms such as runny nose, sore throat, headache, cough and sometimes fever.
The flu epidemic usually starts in December or January. In the last ten years, an epidemic lasted an average of thirteen weeks, but last year even fourteen. The flu epidemic in the Netherlands is therefore later than usual this year.
Gentle winter favorable
The mild winter may play a role in this. The flu virus spreads less well in soft and moist air than in cold and dry air. The last week we have to deal with colder and dry air. This applies to both the calm days prior to storm Ciara and the relatively cold days after storm Ciara.
Also read: In which weather do you get flu faster?
Photo: ANP
Through: ANP / Weeronline
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