Rising Respiratoryโ Illnesses in Tรผrkiye: COVID-19, Flu, and RSVโ Concerns
Recent observations in Tรผrkiye indicate โa rise in respiratory illnesses, โขparticularly affecting โฃyoung children, asโ the summer ends. While COVID-19 casesโข are increasing, experts emphasize the importance of differentiatingโค symptoms from those of influenza (the flu)โ and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
Testing for COVID-19 is currently largely reliant on antigen testsโ performed at home or PCRโข tests conducted in hospital laboratories, as many polyclinics remainโค closed. Emergency services continue to offer testing inโฃ the event of a significant case โฃincrease. Though,doctors caution against โคsolely relying โคon symptoms like high fever,sore throat,or cough for diagnosis,as these are common to flu and โother respiratory infections.
Young Childrenโข Most Affected
Dr. suleyman Alpar notesโข that global data suggests the โขrecent โขincrease in COVID-19 cases is disproportionately impacting young children.โ He โคreports the highest application rates are currentlyโค seen in the 0-4 age group. While official data for childrenโฃ in Tรผrkiye is unavailable,โฃ Dr. Alpar’s observations โขin the fieldโ paint a clear picture.
Followingโข the summer vacation, emergency servicesโ have seen a surge in applicationsโ fromโ nursery andโค preschool childrenโฃ experiencing upper โขrespiratoryโฃ tractโฃ infection symptoms.โค “Fire and upper respiratory tract โขsymptoms are at the forefront.โค Supporting treatment and at home isolation is usually โขsufficient,” โDr. Alpar stated. He stressed theโฃ importance โคof reminder doses โคfor childrenโ with chronic โฃillnesses or weakened immune systems.
Co-infection Possibility & Current Trends
Professor Dr. Ahmet Soysal clarifies โthat a “unification” of COVID-19,influenza,andโฃ RSV is not occurring. He emphasizes that currently, flu and RSVโ infections appear to be presentingโฃ moreโค severely than COVID-19.
“In rare cases, a โขchild mayโข experience โขboth โRSV and COVID-19โฃ or influenza and COVID-19 infection at the sameโ time,”โข Professor โคSoysal explained, โคadding that the clinical presentation in such cases is โฃtypically dominated by the symptoms of the most prevalentโฃ virus, though symptoms fromโค other viruses mayโค also be present.
Preventative โMeasures
professor โขSoysal reiteratedโ thatโ COVID-19 spreads throughโฃ droplets โand airborne transmission, highlightingโ theโ importance of preventative measures. He stressed avoidingโฃ contact with sick individuals and emphasized the critical โคneed to keepโ sick children home from school or nursery, urging administrations to enforce this diligently.
He also recommended prioritizing well-ventilated โspaces over crowded, โฃclosed environments and โsuggested that individuals with chronic conditions or more โsevere illnesses consider wearing masksโข in crowded indoor โsettings.โฃ Professor Soysal underscored the โคimportance โฃof โขfrequent handwashing with soap and water as a vital componentโ in combating the spread of the โvirus.


