You can get the flu anytime in the year, but certain periods worsen an outbreak.
The flu or influenza is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the influenza A, B and C virus.
This virus affects the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs.
It leads to coughing, sneezing, fevers, headaches, and diarrhoea in some cases. It can feel mild or get pretty severe and deadly.
The flu virus is spread by tiny droplets that come out of people’s mouths when they cough or sneeze or talk and when they land on different surfaces.
When people touch infected surfaces and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth, they get the flu too.
Right now in Nigeria, it feels like we have officially entered the flu season. Almost everyone has or is recovering from the effects of the flu.
We cannot deny that the increase in the transmission of the flu coincides with the harmattan period. When the temperature is colder, the spread of the flu increases tenfold, research shows.
Why is this?
- The colder the temperature is, the longer these viruses linger on surfaces, making it easier for those who come in contact to contract them.
- The harmattan period or winter for those in other climes is the holiday season where many people are at home with family and this can cause the flu to start going round between them.
- If the temperature is cold the air gets dry and that leads invariably to your mucous membrane being dry.
- When ultraviolet rays are reduced by fog or dust, the spread of the virus increases. This is because researchers have discovered that the proportions of UV light kill the virus.