People should not underestimate the seriousness of influenza, especially with the nation’s aging population and an increasing number of people with chronic illnesses, the Taiwan Society of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine said yesterday.
Feng Jia-yih (馮嘉毅), director of respiratory infection and immunology in the Department of Chest Medicine at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, said a 61-year-old woman with diabetes and poor control of her blood sugar levels was hospitalized for pneumonia earlier this year.
After her condition improved with treatment and she was about to be discharged, she suddenly developed chest tightness, shortness of breath and pneumonia again, Feng told a news conference in Taipei.
Photo: CNA
She tested positive for flu, and contact tracing found that she likely contracted the disease from a family member who had symptoms including coughing and runny nose when they visited her at the hospital, he said.
Flu infection can worsen rapidly, leading to serious complications, especially for elderly people with underlying conditions, he said.
Society president Chen Yu-min (陳育民), who is also head of the hospital’s Department of Chest Medicine, said that age is not the only factor in developing serious flu complications, as having chronic conditions — such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease — greatly increases risks.
Flu viruses are highly infectious and often spread among family members, with young children and elderly people being the most vulnerable, he said.
Clinical observations showed that most people who developed serious flu complications missed the 48-hour “golden period” for treatment, Chen said.
US Centers for Disease Control data showed that about 95 percent of people hospitalized for flu had at least one chronic condition, he said, adding that in Taiwan, about 85.9 percent of people aged 65 or older have at least one type of underlying health condition.
Studies have suggested that, on average, among every 10 people hospitalized for flu, three or four of them develop acute pneumonia, he said.
Many people under the misconception that the flu is the same as the common cold might take over-the-counter drugs or even try to “get through it” without any treatment, Chen said.
Sometimes the symptoms can worsen rapidly, resulting in hospitalization or even being admitted to an intensive care unit, he said.
He urged people to see a doctor for treatment when they develop a fever, sore throat, rhinitis or other mild symptoms, and not wait until the virus spreads to the lungs, causing viral pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome, which could lead to more serious conditions such as sepsis or multiple organ failure.
Feng said the flu should not be underestimated, and getting treatment as soon as possible is a preventive measure, as it not only protects the infected person themselves, but also their family members, by helping prevent the spread of the virus.
The Taiwan Society of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine also invited Taiwanese Olympic judo silver medalist Yang Yung-wei (楊勇緯) and the illustrator of a popular local character Uglyrabbit (醜白兔) to the news conference to help raise public awareness about the flu.
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