Autumn arrived in Istanbul with upper respiratory diseases

Autumn has arrived, and emergency departments are full due to upper respiratory tract illnesses; the increase in Istanbul is also noteworthy.

Assessing the upper respiratory tract cases in the city, Istanbul Provincial Health Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdullah Emre Güner said that, as in previous years, the expected situation has emerged this year.

Güner stated that upper respiratory cases in Istanbul are being closely monitored by public health experts through an early warning system, and made the following statements:

"There's an 8% increase in upper respiratory tract cases across Istanbul this month compared to the same month last year. However, we see the same correlation compared to previous years, and by comparing it with our previous data, we can see that there's nothing to worry about."

Güner emphasized that seasonal changes and the opening of schools play an important role in the increase in upper respiratory tract infections.

'RISK FOR SOME GROUPS'

Güner continued his words as follows:

We already expect seasonal increases in the fall and early spring months, which transition from summer to autumn. The main problem here is the rise in viral infections. Furthermore, with the reopening of schools, susceptible populations—those who may be infected—are brought together more frequently. After schools reopen, we realize that children are carrying respiratory tract infection agents home.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Güner stated that although upper respiratory tract infections are generally mild, they pose a risk to certain groups, and therefore it is important for this group to protect themselves.

13 OUT OF 100 PATIENTS ARE INFECTED

Güner stated that they are aware of the factors that cause upper respiratory tract infections because they are viral infections, and added:

"A seasonal increase is also observed in influenza and coronavirus tests. In Istanbul, only 13 out of 100 patients are infected with the influenza virus."