Cases of flu-like illness 50% higher this year

A man wearing a protective face mask walks past an illustration of a virus outside a regional science centre, as the city and surrounding areas face local restrictions in an effort to avoid a local lockdown being forced upon the region, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Oldham, Britain August 3, 2020. REUTERS/Phil Noble

 (REUTERS/file photo)

 

MANILA, Philippines — Cases of influenza-like-illness (ILI) rose by 50 percent this year compared to the same period last year, Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Eric Tayag said on Thursday. 

 “Since the start of the year, the number of cases has increased, in fact it’s 50 percent higher than last year,” Tayag said over CNN Philippines interview.

Tayag said to date, the Philippines has close to 200,000 cases of ILI. 

According to Tayag, the reported ILIs are either influenza type A or type B, while others tested positive for COVID-19.

Influenza type A and B viruses circulate and cause seasonal epidemics, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO said that type-A flu is further classified into subtypes which have previously caused pandemics like the swine flu or H1N1, while  the type B is a type of influenza caused by viruses from the Victoria or Yamagata lineages.

 

RELATED STORIES:

Bacterial respiratory illness in China highly contagious, less severe than COVID-19 — Tayag

PH also asks Beijing for details on flu cases

China: surge in respiratory illnesses caused by flu, known pathogens

Read more...