Recently, the disease has been spreading rapidly! Many children have been infected. Urgent reminder:

As winter and spring begin, schools are opening across the country. Recently, many children with vomiting and diarrhea have been admitted to pediatric emergency departments of hospitals and have been diagnosed with norovirus infection. At the same time, influenza monitoring results from disease control agencies in various regions show that the current level of influenza virus activity in my country has increased, with influenza A being the main virus.

Recently, the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that since February, the local clusters of epidemics in Beijing have all been caused by concentrated fever caused by seasonal influenza or acute gastroenteritis caused by diarrheal viruses such as norovirus, mostly occurring in schools and childcare institutions. What is norovirus infection and influenza? How to prevent it? In what situations do you need to see a doctor?

In response to hot issues of spring infectious disease prevention and control that concern the public, on February 25, the National Health Commission organized authoritative expert Wang Guiqiang, director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Peking University First Hospital, to provide answers.

Hot Questions and Answers

Q: What is norovirus? What are the symptoms of infection?

A: Norovirus belongs to the Caliciviridae family. The main symptoms after infection are vomiting and diarrhea. It is a digestive system infectious disease. The main source of infection is oral infection . It can also be transmitted through aerosols and close contact , such as elementary school and kindergarten children taking and touching each other's objects. From the clinical manifestations, the symptoms are mild or severe. Most of them are vomiting and diarrhea. Severe vomiting and diarrhea may cause severe vomiting and diarrhea. Some severe cases may have systemic symptoms such as fever. Vomiting and diarrhea can cause a large amount of electrolytes and water loss in the human body. Therefore, after being infected with norovirus, you must fully replenish fluids, pay attention to rest, and take sugar and salt water or use rehydration salts in time.

Q: After being infected with the norovirus, in what situations do you need to seek medical attention? How can you prevent it?

A: If young children or the elderly are infected with norovirus and show symptoms such as weakness, apathy, dry mouth, and dry eyes, they may have low blood pressure. Blood pressure should be measured in time, and patients should go to the hospital for treatment in time and receive appropriate rehydration. If they are treated at home, they can drink some light salt water or sugar and salt water, because norovirus infection mainly causes diarrhea and vomiting, which leads to a large loss of electrolytes and water in the human body, which may bring serious consequences. Some serious cases, such as elderly people with underlying diseases, may induce shock and other symptoms, so special attention should be paid to this group of people. Norovirus is mainly transmitted through the digestive system, and prevention work should be done well: first, food and water hygiene should be managed safely ; second, hand hygiene should be done well, and hand washing should be done before and after meals . In places where people gather, such as childcare institutions and primary schools, once an epidemic occurs, it is necessary to immediately check whether food and water sources are contaminated, and key areas such as canteens must be carefully inspected and disinfected to prevent further spread of the epidemic.

Q: What is the flu? How is it different from the common cold?

A: Influenza (flu) is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by influenza virus. The difference between influenza and common cold lies mainly in the severity of the disease and the pathogen.

First, the pathogens and causes are different. There are many pathogens that can cause cold-like symptoms, but influenza is caused by influenza viruses, and currently, influenza A viruses are more common.

Second, the symptoms of influenza are more severe than those of the common cold. Influenza can cause persistent high fever, muscle and joint pain all over the body, and in severe cases can lead to pneumonia . At the same time, influenza has the risk of inducing aggravation in elderly people with underlying diseases, and some patients may develop secondary infections, such as upper respiratory tract infection tracheitis, secondary bacterial infection, etc. The overall symptoms of the common cold are milder.

Third, in terms of treatment, influenza has specific treatment drugs , and it is recommended that antiviral drugs be used as early as possible. Although influenza is a self-limiting disease, early use of drugs can shorten the course of the disease, alleviate symptoms, and reduce the risk of severe illness. The common cold can generally be treated symptomatically, such as drinking plenty of water and taking rest, and there is no specific medicine.

Fourth, from the perspective of prognosis and complications, influenza is relatively harmful and may cause the risk of hospitalization or even death in some cases.

Q: If you have the flu, what symptoms require medical attention? How can you prevent it?

A: In terms of influenza treatment, symptomatic supportive treatment is generally the main approach. If you experience persistent high fever, shortness of breath, or worsening of underlying diseases, you should go to the hospital for medical treatment in a timely manner. Especially for the elderly with underlying diseases, it is recommended that you go to the hospital for medical treatment in a timely manner when you have fever, cough, headache, or fatigue. If you are diagnosed with influenza, you should take antiviral drugs as soon as possible to avoid further deterioration of the condition and worsening of the underlying disease. At the same time, it is recommended to get a flu vaccine every autumn.

Influenza is a respiratory infectious disease, and the prevention of respiratory infectious diseases is similar. Some of the methods for preventing COVID-19 infection are also methods for preventing influenza, and they also help reduce the risk of norovirus infection. Frequent ventilation, wearing masks, and maintaining good hand hygiene are all effective ways to prevent influenza. In winter and spring, it is recommended that you wear a mask in crowded or confined spaces. Frequent hand washing, frequent ventilation, and maintaining social distance are effective in preventing most respiratory infectious diseases.

How did you know you had the flu?

Symptoms of the flu include:

Influenza is a respiratory infectious disease caused by influenza virus that poses a serious threat to human health. The incubation period of influenza is generally 1-7 days, mostly 2-4 days. The main symptoms are fever, headache, myalgia and general discomfort , often with high temperature, which can reach 39~40℃ , chills and shivering, often accompanied by systemic symptoms such as muscle and joint pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, sore throat and dry cough, nasal congestion, runny nose, facial flushing, conjunctival congestion, etc., and digestive tract symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea may also occur.

What should we do if an influenza outbreak occurs in schools and childcare institutions?

When schools and childcare institutions discover influenza-like cases, they should isolate sick students in a timely manner, take them to see a doctor or receive treatment at home in a timely manner, avoid contact with other students, and strengthen classroom disinfection. If more than 10 influenza-like cases occur within a week, they should be reported to the county (city, district) level disease prevention and control agency in a timely manner. How should schools and childcare institutions prevent influenza?

1. Schools and childcare institutions should conscientiously implement the morning and afternoon health checks and the absence registration system due to illness, understand the reasons for students' absences, and achieve early detection and early reporting of epidemics; students diagnosed with influenza must wait for their body temperature to return to normal and other flu-like symptoms to disappear for 48 hours or provide a hospital resumption certificate before they can return to school.

2. The classroom should be ventilated by opening windows frequently to maintain air circulation.

3. Schools must disinfect key areas such as toilets, canteens, stair railings, door handles, etc. every day; childcare institutions must disinfect student toys and other items every day.

4. Schools should use various forms such as health education classes, theme class meetings, campus radio, blackboard newspapers, etc. to publicize influenza prevention knowledge and enhance teachers' and students' awareness of self-prevention.

Source: Beijing Daily, CCTV News, Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou Daily, etc.