17/04/2025
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗙𝗟𝗨 𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗛𝗔𝗦 𝗕𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗜𝗡 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗛 𝗔𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗔 🤧
The 2025 Influenza season has officially begun as the detection rate of Influenza has breached the low threshold for two consecutive weeks in the Pneumonia Surveillance Programme. More importantly, 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟬 ⚠️
The 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝘇𝗮 𝗔(𝗛𝟯𝗡𝟮) subtype is responsible for majority of the cases detected in the NICD's sentinel surveillance programmes and account for 68% of the subtyped cases. This is different from 2024 where 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝘇𝗮 𝗔(𝗛𝟭𝗡𝟭)𝗽𝗱𝗺𝟬𝟵 predominated infections in the first wave.
The severity of flu is underestimated by people. It is important to remember that Influenza does carry a substantial 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 in South Africa, with an estimated 𝟲 𝟬𝟬𝟬 - 𝟭𝟭 𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗳𝗹𝘂-𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘀 occurring throughout a typical flu season in the country. Around 50% of these flu-related deaths are reported in the elderly, and about 30% occur among people living with HIV (PLWH).
Moreover, we see an estimated 𝟭𝟮𝟴 𝟬𝟬𝟬 severe, but non-fatal cases of flu in every season in the country, and almost 50% of South Africans who get severely ill from the flu, need to be admitted to hospital. The highest hospitalisation rate are in children under the age of 5 years, PLWH, and the elderly aged 65 years and older.
If you're a high-risk individual, it is important to get your annual vaccine so that you can protect yourself against serious illness from the flu. It's available free in the public sector for those over the age of 65 years, and certain priority groups like immunocompromised individuals.
If you don't fall into those priority groups, then you can get a 3-strain inactivated flu vaccine at any private pharmacies, such as Dischem and Clicks for around R120 to R150. This definitely is a worthwhile investment for those who can afford it, considering that many will spend money on insignificant things and not on safeguarding their health.