INFLUENZA OUTBREAK SUSPECTED IN KENYA.

 A good number of people in the country have been complaining of flu-like(influenza) symptoms which include headaches,watery eyes,high fever,sour throat and cough for the past few weeks.

According to Dr.Kalebi,an independent consultant pathologist, cold weather worsens upper respiratory tract infections in humans hence a lot of people will be complaining about flu-like symptoms and Kenyans should brace themselves for high flu cases.

"We know from our long term studies in Kenya that influenza viruses circulate all year so you can expect a certain number of people to have the flu at any given time,"said Dr.Kalebi.

Dr.Kalebi added that the flu cases in the country went down during the covid 19 pandemic because of masking and high hygiene which included washing of hands and sanitizing which also helped control the influenza outbreak.

Dr.Otieno,a leading pediatrician in Western Kenya has said that a large number of children are the ones mostly suffering from flu-like symptoms considering it is a rainy season  hence he urges parents to take their children to the hospital to get tested instead of just giving them mere antibiotics.

According to Dr.Samuel Symekher,a Kenya Medical Research Institute(Kemri) researcher surveillance shows that there is no influenza outbreak and people should not panick and cause distress to others as influenza can highly be mistaken for a cold and preventive measures such as eating healthy,keeping warm and maintaining hygiene shoulf just be observed.

Professor Shem Otoi has further said that it may be difficult to know what causes these flu-like symptoms that keep reoccurring and persisting hence people should just be keen on the preventive measures.

"Flu or no flu,people need to take precautions,"said Prof.Otoi.