Half of Patients With Common Cold Symptoms Test Positive for Flu

Test results of some 50% of patients exhibiting severe symptoms of the common cold returned positive for influenza, Shahnam Arshi, head of the Health Ministry’s Center for Infectious Disease Control, stated on Monday. 
“The number of influenza cases was less than 1% five weeks ago, now it’s on the rise,” Arshi was quoted as saying by IRNA. 
According to Arshi, the influenza season began earlier than previous years, which caught authorities by surprise as annual vaccination campaigns for the flu had only started to launch when the virus was already spreading throughout the country. 
He nevertheless instructed vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, children and those with pre-existing health conditions to get vaccinated against the flu as soon as possible. 
He also advised parents not to send their children to school if they show symptoms of the common cold. 
“Symptoms of viral diseases like influenza, the cold and Covid are similar,” the health official said, “But sudden high-grade fever, muscle ache and sore throat are symptoms of the flu.”
Safety measures for influenza are identical to the coronavirus and the public have been told to follow social distancing rules and wear facemasks to curb transmission rates. 
High vaccination coverage rates for the coronavirus has kept the contagious virus mostly at bay with the Health Ministry recording zero daily Covid deaths on Sunday.
On Monday, SARS-CoV-2 infected 213 and killed five. The Health Ministry announced that 133 of the newly infected patients have been hospitalized due to severity of symptoms. 
Strict adherence to coronavirus protocols such as wearing masks had over the past two years lowered flu transmissions in autumn. With recent large-scale disregard for health measures, rates of the seasonal flu could continue to rise over the next few months.