Flu cases with Covid-like symptoms on rise in India

New Delhi: As several parts of India grapple with persistent cough, sometimes accompanied by fever, the Centre has issued an advisory. The advisory suggests a list of dos and don'ts for people to follow to protect themselves from contracting the flu, which has Covid-like symptoms.

The flu due to Influenza A subtype H3N2, which has been in wide circulation for the past two-three months, causes more hospitalisations than other subtypes.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said the rise in flu cases is due to the Influenza A subtype H3N2 virus. The H3N2, which has been in wide circulation for the past two to three months, causes more hospitalisations than other subtypes, it said. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has said the fever goes away at the end of three days, but the cough can persist for up to three weeks. It has advised against the indiscriminate use of antibiotics.

"Right now, people start taking antibiotics like Azithromycin and Amoxiclav, etc, that too without caring for done and frequency and stop it once start feeling better. This needs to be stopped as it leads to antibiotic resistance. Whenever there will be a real use of antibiotics, they will not work due to the resistance," the IMA said in a statement.

The viral cases mostly occur in people aged below 15 and above 50 and cause upper respiratory infections along with fever, the IMA said. The association also asked doctors to prescribe only symptomatic treatment and not antibiotics.

The most misused antibiotics are Amoxicillin, Norfloxacin, Oprofloxacin, Ofloxacin and Levofloxacin. These are being used for the treatment of diarrhoea and UTI, IMA said.

The ICMR has issued dos and don'ts to protect oneself from the infection. The dos include regularly washing hands with soap and water, wearing face masks, and avoiding crowded areas. In cases of fever and bodyache, the ICMR has advised the use of paracetamol.