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Saudi Arabia: Flu on the rise, people urged to get vaccinated

JEDDAH: Seasonal flu is on the rise and doctors are urging people to get flu vaccinations at primary health centers across the Kingdom as a precaution against respiratory ailments like fever and dry cough, according to doctors at the Dammam Central Hospital (DCH) emergency room.

"The ER continues to receive cases of upper respiratory complaints, often associated with slight fever and dizziness, common to people who have contracted the flu," said a doctor on duty at the unit. He said it is important for citizens and foreign workers to get flu shots during this period when the weather changes.

Hospitals in the Eastern Province, including Saad Specialists Hospital, Al-Fakhry Hospital in Khobar, Al-Mouwasat Hospital in Dammam, and Al-Tomairy Hospitals, surveyed by Saudi Gazette/Okaz, reported a rise in flu cases.

"It is flu season. People should therefore get the flu vaccine given at all hospitals and primary clinics," said a general medical practitioner at Saad Specialists Hospital.

Attending nurses at the ER section of Al-Mouwasat Hospital, said most patients they have seen are elderly people complaining of fever and cough.

"Rest, less exposure to heat, avoiding crowded places, and plenty of vitamin C from fruits and vegetables, are a must to prevent getting the flu," said a physician at the Al-Fakhry Hospital in Al-Khobar. "The vaccination can reduce influenza-related respiratory illnesses, but keeping oneself healthy by following this basic lifestyle is essential," he said.

The Ministry of Health has issued warnings to protect citizens and foreign workers, particularly with the Haj season starting Nov. 14, when millions of people from all over the world travel to the Kingdom.

The ministry has urged people to take precautions because of the risk of being infected by the flu and meningitis.

The ministry has also recommended that people with chronic health problems such as heart disease, may jeopardize their health while performing the holy rituals, and should not travel to perform Haj.

Memories of the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, may be fresh in the minds of people and causing a great deal of anxiety. However, people must simply take precautions.

"People might tend to be scared because of last year's experience when cases of H1N1 were reported in the media. What people should do is to take precautionary measures against contracting the common cold," said Dr. Ashraf Qazmi of Elexir Polyclinic.

He said a number of cases of the common cold have been reported over the past few days.

He said the morphology of the influenza virus is that it keeps changing its shape.

Dr. K.J. Sebastian of Safa-Makkah Polyclinic, said the influenza virus is airborne and can infect people through sneezing or personal contact such as shaking hands. It is better for people to get flu shots, he said. Schoolchildren should be encouraged to wear face masks in case symptoms appear, he said.

According to doctors there are about 80 strains of seasonal flu. Dr. Muhammad Zahran, Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) consultant at King Fahd General Hospital, said most noteworthy features of seasonal flu were its strains and mutations.

"The morphological changes that take place in the flu virus will nullify the effect of vaccination.

Therefore, vaccination shots do not offer 100 percent protection against this airborne disease," he said.

He said people can be infected with different types of flu virus, which varies in strength. However, Zahran advised people to vaccinate against the flu virus every year. "Yearly inoculation is the best form of prevention.

The virus changes every year so does the vaccination," he advised. The elderly might show severe complications once infected with the flu virus. Persons with sinusitis and pregnant women should take extra precautions, he added.

By Joe Avancena & Shahid Ali Khan

© The Saudi Gazette 2010