The influenza epidemic, very virulent in France since the beginning of winter, is still very active, even if it has begun to reduce speed for a few days. However, this seasonal viral infection can “be serious in the most fragile people,” says the health insurance site.
In adults, mortality seems particularly high compared to previous years and children, the number of hospitalizations reaches an exceptionally high level, according to the latest public health bulletin, France, published on Wednesday.
To prevent flu, health authorities recommend adopting barrier gestures, particularly carrying a mask when you are sick. Especially because a flu is contagious for several days.
Contagious disease before the appearance of symptoms
The flu is a “very contagious” respiratory infection, the Pasteur Institute underlines in place. It can be transmitted even before the appearance of symptoms. Bruno Lina, professor of Virology at the Hospital of the University of Lyon, explains to BFMTV that “we are contagious at least 12 hours before the appearance of symptoms.”
Even speaking, “we project saliva microgotlets and it is these saliva microgens that are virus vectors,” develops the manager of the National Center for Reference of Virus of Respiratory Infections.
This does not work once the symptoms approach. Fever, fatigue, pain, headache … and cough, which projects microgotlets, which contribute to the pollution of other people. On the other hand, Bruno Lina emphasizes that one can continue coughing without still being contagious: “Some people coughing three weeks” after having flu due to the irritation of the throat, but “in general, the virus ends up being eliminated from our Organization in five days “for adults, underlines the professor of Virology.
In addition, as health insurance summarizes it, “the person contaminated by the flu virus is contagious to others, up to five days after the start of the first symptoms in adults, or even seven days in children.”
According to the Pasteur Institute, microgroutlettes emitted by a patient can also be placed on surfaces and viruses can survive up to 24 hours. Therefore, the flu can be transmitted “through the spokesman, for example, for example, on the keyboard of a distributor previously contaminated by a sick person,” warns the center specialized in infectious diseases.
To avoid circulating the flu and limiting its impact, the health authorities recommend certain gestures. First, vaccination, advised for people at risk of making a serious way of flu (65 or more, pregnant women, people with obesity …). The complete list is available on the Health Insurance website. Then, for sick people, it is recommended to adopt the gestures of the barriers: mask port, ventilation of the pieces 10 minutes every hour, regular hand washing, detained hugs and hardening …).
Source: BFM TV
