- Seasonal weather changes key factor behind rising flu cases.
- Children, elderly people and HIV patients face greater health risks.
- Medical experts recommend flu vaccination for safety.
KARACHI: Medical experts have advised citizens to wear masks in crowded places to stay safe as hospitals across Karachi report a significant increase in cases of flu amid changing weather conditions.
The number of patients reporting with flu symptoms at Jinnah Hospital has almost doubled over a month.
“We have been seeing patients with flu-like symptoms for over a month but their numbers have just doubled over the past week, rising from 30 to 40 per day to 70 to 80 now, with the gradual seasonal shift towards winter, especially the drop in night-time temperatures,” Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) ER head Dr Irfan Siddiqui said.
Similarly, Dr Ruth Pray Civil Hospital ER in-charge Dr Imran said that the facility was receiving 30-40 flu patients daily, compared with 15-20 previously.
Medical experts have attributed the increase in cases largely to seasonal changes in weather, warning that children, older people and patients with HIV face greater risks from the illness.
They have also urged citizens to get vaccinated against flu and take precautionary measures, particularly when visiting crowded places.
Doctors have advised people to wear masks in busy public spaces to help reduce the risk of infection as the number of patients seeking treatment for flu symptoms continues to rise.