On the morning of January 14, at the Cai Rang Regional Health Center (Can Tho city), although it was early, the number of people coming to register for examination was quite large, most of whom were elderly people.
Just receiving the results, Mr. Pham Van Tan (born in 1954, residing in Tan Phu Thanh commune) tiredly shared that these days he has been hoarse, coughing continuously, taking medicine at home has not subsided, so he was forced to come here for an early examination to feel secure.
I thought I was the only one affected, but when I came here, I saw a lot of people in the same situation, everyone was sniffing and coughing. Tet is coming soon and it's too worrying" - Mr. Tan said.
According to Dr. Le My Duyen - Working at the Examination Department, Cai Rang Regional Medical Center, in recent days, the unit has received quite a few cases with symptoms similar to Mr. Tan. Among the causes, there is a sudden change in weather between day and night, combined with people being more exposed to smoke and dust during the cleaning and decoration of houses to welcome Tet.
At the city's leading hospitals, the pressure on the outpatient department has also increased significantly. Doctors said that the number of respiratory diseases is estimated to increase by 20-30%.
In the afternoon of the same day (January 14), Ms. Nguyen Thi Hiep (76 years old, Can Tho city) was taken by relatives to Can Tho City General Hospital in a depressed state. Ms. Hiep said: "I myself have diabetes, so my resistance is already weak. These days it has turned cold at night, sunny during the day, I started to dry out. I always feel sluggish in my body, not wanting to eat or drink anything. Afraid of complications, my family took me for an examination immediately.
Talking about this issue, Specialist Doctor II Do Thi Truc Thanh - Deputy Head of the Examination Department, Can Tho City General Hospital informed that the time near the Lunar New Year is also the transitional period, so the number of cases of respiratory diseases tends to increase sharply. Especially, for elderly patients with underlying diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease or blood pressure, symptoms such as dry cough, sluggishness should not be taken lightly. If not treated promptly, the disease can easily turn into pneumonia or worsen the existing underlying disease.
To help people protect their health during the peak season, doctors recommend that serious disease prevention measures be implemented. Accordingly, the most important thing is to keep the neck and chest warm, especially when traveling on the street in the early morning or late at night when the temperature drops. Moreover, wearing a mask not only helps prevent viruses but also minimizes inhalation of smoke and dust.
According to Dr. Thanh, for people with underlying diseases, maintaining a scientific diet, drinking enough water and complying with the underlying disease treatment regimen is a key factor to maintain the immune system.
Near Tet is the time when everyone is most busy but also the time when health is most vulnerable. When there are signs of cough, fever or prolonged fatigue, people need to go to medical facilities immediately for advice and timely treatment by doctors, to avoid serious illness affecting the joyful spring days ahead" - Dr. Thanh advised.
