Flu worrying Burundians

Nowadays, flu is spreading out very much in our area. It is so chronic and harsh that some people wonder whether or not it is that kind of virus from developed countries.-By Yves Didier Irakoze

Dr Léonard Bivahagumye: “…anyone must adopt a new lifestyle like doing sport, eating well, drinking much water and avoiding anything that would weaken the body…”©Iwacu

“I caught cold and flu two months ago. At the beginning, I thought it was malaria because I had signs like someone who suffers from it. I was scared that it could be a strong virus like the one I hear from China or developed countries,” points out N.D. Didy Irankuda on his side expresses that he suffers from flu and has a painful cough since one month and half and till now he hasn’t yet recovered. According to Dr Léonard Bivahagumye, ORL specialist (Ear, Nose and Throat), the virus of the existing flu is the one known long ago named respiratory syncitial virus (VRS). “It has the same signs even if it is very strong like people often say. The one who is sick gets influenza, cough, fever, headaches and sometimes difficulties to breathe,” declares Dr Bivahagumye. He highlights that many people nowadays suffer from flu because of the climate change like high winds, coldness, much rain etc…
He adds saying that even though things are like that, there are not yet tests on this virus in Burundi to determine what kind of virus it is, we wonder whether or not it is different from the one people often say it comes from pigs or birds. “But I think it is the one from which people suffer, because people fall sick and recover after a long period of time,” mentions Dr Bivahagumye.

Adopt a healthy lifestyle

At the moment, this disease is caught through the air, saliva, etc and as long as there is no vaccine in Burundi, people have to avoid being exposed to cold and cover themselves. He also mentions that anyone must adopt a new lifestyle like doing sport, eating well, drinking much water and avoiding anything that would weaken the body like consuming much alcohol, fatty food, etc to allow the body to be resistant. He concludes saying that someone who suffers from a disease caused by the virus can’t take antibiotic medicine unless there is a bacterial superinfection. A patient is only prescribed medicine for symptomatic treatment that relieves pains like fever, headaches.