Spring flu that's popular even when the seasons change

It's a blog that creates "a prosperous life" with you.
In the spring of 2023, the flu is the biggest epidemic ever. It's the middle of June, too.
However, the number of spring flu cases is still not decreasing.
I summarized the information related to the spring flu.

---

1. What is spring flu

1) Explanation

Flu is an acute respiratory disease caused by the influenza virus.
Influenza occurs all over the world, including our country, and in seasonal regions, every winter. It's going around on a small scale. The flu is highly contagious, and the elderly, children, or people with other diseases. Management is important because catching it increases the mortality rate and can cause complications.

2) The difference between a cold and the flu

In general, many people misunderstand that the symptoms are similar to a cold, but they are worse and do not heal well. The flu isn't really a bad cold, and it's not a common cold virus It's an infectious disease caused by another influenza virus, that is, colds and flu are completely different diseases.

---

2. The reason why spring flu is going around

1) A fashionable reason

The spread of the influenza virus is spread through secretions contained in an infected person's cough or sneeze. The incubation period is from one to two days after the first outbreak of influenza in the region It is highly contagious in two to three weeks, so you should also pay attention to the flu warning.

2) Diagnosis

Flu virus or influenza virus is the causative agent. There are three types of influenza viruses A, B, and C, but it is type A and type B that cause diseases in humans. Type B has weak symptoms and only one type exists, but there are many types of type A depending on the types of H and N antigens on the surface of the virus.

3) Symptoms

There are many different symptoms that patients feel, and similar to colds, only respiratory symptoms without fever appear There are cases where high fever and respiratory symptoms are typically accompanied. In general, the flu has a high fever, a sore throat, a runny nose, Symptoms include stuffy nose, cough, general muscle pain, and abdominal pain.

---

3. Status of spring flu in Korea in 2023

1) Spring flu, four times the epidemic standard...Increase in Hand-foot-and-mouth disease for infants and toddlers

The heat started earlier than usual, but the spring influenza and flu epidemic continued, It was the highest level in 20 years.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) announced that from May 14 to 20, the number of patients with suspected influenza symptoms per 1,000 outpatients It was tallied at 25.7, 4.8 times higher than the 4.9 standard for the seasonal trend. By age group, 52.6 people aged 13 to 18, 49.1 people aged 7 to 12, and 29.5 children and adolescents aged 1 to 6 It was most prominent among them, followed by 28.1 people aged 19 to 49 and 10.5 people aged 50 to 54. In addition to the flu, viral acute respiratory infections, which show symptoms such as runny nose, headache, phlegm, and sore throat, were also high, with 1,926 hospitalized patients during the same period.

2) Predicted cause of increase

Although it is because of the decreased immunity and increased external activities due to the high temperature by taking off the mask, The degree of occurrence is well beyond the normal level.
From the last week of May to the first week of June, the number of suspected flu symptoms per 1,000 outpatients was 21.5. Although the number is down 4.2 from a week ago, it is more than four times the 4.9 flu cases this season, which is from the end of May to the beginning of this month. By age group, 43.8 people aged 7 to 12 and 41.6 people aged 13 to 18, which occurred a lot in children and adolescents.

3) Hand-foot-and-mouth disease among children and adolescents

Not only the flu but also uninvited hand-foot-and-mouth disease in summer are prevalent among children and adolescents. Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is a disease that causes blisters in or around the mouth due to intestinal viruses, and dehydration occurs mainly, and in severe cases, it can lead to encephalitis. As a result of the sample monitoring, the number of patients with hand-foot-and-mouth disease per 1,000 outpatients from the last week of May to the beginning of this month was 19.5, an increase of more than 24% from a week ago.
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease started to form in mid-May. Now it's not clear how much longer it's going to go. Hand washing is the best prevention method because it spreads to saliva and then to contact infections. Experts say it's important to use antipyretic drugs when you start to have a fever and to drink water well I advise you.

---

4. Any spring flu precautions?

1) An adverse effect on height growth

Increasing immunity will not only prevent the flu but also facilitate height growth. Even though spring is just around the corner, the flu pandemic warning continues. When growing children catch the flu You lose the time to grow your height by spending your energy fighting the flu. In addition, there is a risk of complications such as otitis media, cardiopulmonary disease, and pneumonia.

2) Half of the flu cases are in children and adolescents

It should also be noted that one in two flu patients is a child and an adolescent. As of 2013, the share of flu patients was the highest among those under the age of 10 at 34.1%, followed by.
It was found that 14.5 percent of teenagers were teenagers. Parents with children and adolescents, don't relax until March You should try to prevent the flu through a lifestyle that increases your child's immunity.

3) You need to build up your immunity

In order to prevent the flu, which adversely affects health and interferes with height growth, the change of temperature is large You should pay attention to body temperature control. This is because the larger the daily temperature difference, the lower the body's immunity.
The flu virus is active in dry places and low temperatures and has a long survival period, so it helps maintain indoor temperature and humidity You'd better pay attention.

4) Beware of virus exposure

There is a high risk of spreading the virus from door handles in public places such as public restrooms and schools You must make a habit of washing your hands after going out.

---

5. 4th ways to deal with spring flu

1) Drinking lots of warm water.

Even if you drink water properly, the mucous membranes of the skin or respiratory tract do not dry out, so you are less exposed to bacteria or viruses. If you don't want to drink warm water as it is, I recommend drinking green tea or barley tea.
Catechin and Theanine, the main ingredients of green tea, have antiviral functions that prevent the activation of the flu virus. It stimulates the immune system's response to prevent the flu virus from adsorbing on normal cells and suppressing infection. According to a study by Harvard University in the United States, people who consumed catechin and theanine for three months had a 30 percent reduction in flu symptoms.

2) Taking Vitamin A

Vitamin A, which is contained in sweet potatoes, cheese, egg yolk, and green-yellow vegetables, plays a role in preventing virus intrusion and strengthens mucous membranes in the neck and nose, which is very good for preventing the flu. In addition, green onion roots are rich in allicin, which helps blood circulation and helps relieve sweating, coughing, and headaches caused by the flu.

3) Eating vegetables and fruits that are rich in vitamin C

Spinach, broccoli, bell pepper (red), paprika, cold, green garlic, and kale are vegetables that can supply vitamin C. There are jujube, strawberry, tangerine, orange, lemon, quince, etc.

4) Eating bellflower roots consistently

The saponin component of bellflower is effective in protecting the neck and relieving pain by improving the mucus secretion function of the bronchial tubes. It is also good for the respiratory system as it has a strong effect that stops coughing and removes phlegm.