On the morning of February 6, it was recorded that at the Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory and Infectious Diseases - Transport Hospital, there are currently about 10 patients being treated here, most of whom are in stable health. According to doctors at the department, since the beginning of 2025, the hospital has received more than 50 cases of influenza A. For mild cases, doctors prescribe medication for patients to self-treat and monitor at home; for severe cases, the hospital requires hospitalization for treatment.
According to doctors, although the flu can be mild, the severity of the disease can easily cause severe pneumonia, encephalitis and systemic infections, even death.
Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper reporters, Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao - Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory and Infectious Diseases, Transport Hospital - said that influenza A has many levels from mild, moderate and severe. Usually in the first days, patients have symptoms of mild fever, cough with phlegm, stuffy nose, sneezing and runny nose... When having similar symptoms, people need to go to the doctor immediately to get tested for influenza A.
According to Dr. Thao, there are currently antiviral drugs to treat influenza A virus, but treatment is only effective in the first few days. If you wait until the 3rd or 4th day to go to the doctor, the golden hour has passed, so the effectiveness of the drug is not high.
If detected and treated early, people can reduce sneezing, runny nose and body aches, leading to pneumonia and respiratory failure. When a patient has pneumonia, respiratory failure and lung damage, it is very severe and progresses quickly, making antiviral drugs slower. One example is the case of patient N.T.B, 59 years old, who was being treated at the hospital with an underlying disease of fever and cough since the 29th of Tet, but was not admitted to the hospital until the 3rd of Tet and his lungs were already damaged.
“When patients start to have symptoms of cough and fever, they must go to the doctor immediately, wear a mask, keep their body warm, and get vaccinated around June, July and August when the flu virus has broken out. Vaccination will not be very effective,” Dr. Thao advised.
Speaking to Lao Dong Newspaper, specialist doctor I Nguyen Thi Thuy - Deputy Head of the Tropical Diseases Department (Friendship Hospital) - said that at Friendship Hospital, the patients are mainly elderly people. The changing weather affects the respiratory tract, so many patients get sick leading to complications of pneumonia.
Patients who have been vaccinated against influenza, if they get sick, usually have mild symptoms and recover quickly, with few serious complications. According to Dr. Thuy, influenza A is easily transmitted, but there is no need to worry too much. When symptoms appear, go to the hospital for examination and advice from a specialist. Do not self-treat and do not wait until the disease becomes severe to go to the hospital.
