The incidence of flu has grown by 185% this season compared to last year, according to data from the Influenza Surveillance System (SiVIRA), of the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), mentioned by the Primary Care doctor and specialist in Pulmonology, José Antonio Quintano.
As the ISCIII collects, up to week 52 (from December 26, 2022 to January 1, 2023) 2,053 detections of influenza viruses had been reported, while last year up to that same week 723 had been detected. An increase that has an explanation, according to Quintano, in two key points such as the reduction of prevention measures against contagion of respiratory diseases and the decrease in immunity caused by the lower circulation of this type of infection.
However, the symptoms of flu and covid are still easily confused, and that is that they present a similar clinic despite being caused by different viruses: fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, tiredness, sore throat, dripping runny nose or nasal congestion, muscle pain, headache, nausea or vomiting – this is more common in children than adults. All of them can develop in both cases.
They can even be confused with the common cold, in which fever or cough, mucus, pain and decay are also common.
As differences: fatigue, sore throat, headache and muscle pain seem to occur less frequently in COVID-19 than in the flu, while respiratory distress seems to be more frequent in COVID-19, although In case of doubt, the most effective thing is to take a test to confirm the disease.