KATHMANDU: Influenza has claimed the lives of eight Kathmanduites in the last 45 days and health officials say the infection in on the rise.

Data collected by Khabarhub on Wednesday has revealed that as many as eight confirmed patients of seasonal flu have been reported.

Director General at the Directorate at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, Dr. Bibek Kumar Lal, informed that influenza has claimed the lives of eight people in the last one and a half months.

Doctor Sher Bahadur Pun at the Teku-based Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in Kathmandu informed that a considerable number of patients, mostly fearing of swine flu, visit the hospital every day.

According to him, the flu is a contagious respiratory illness spread mainly by influenza viruses that infect the throat, nose, throat, and sometimes even the lungs.

Flu is different from a cold. People who have flu feel some or all of the symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, and even diarrhea or vomiting.

“The initial impression that the patients visiting him suspect of being infected with swine flu,” Dr. Pun told Khabarhub, which he said, is not true. According to him, the influenza season typically runs from October to May, peaking in February.

Hospital sources said as many as 1,334 flu suspects visited the hospital in the last five consecutive weeks. Among them, 567 have been diagnosed with AH1 N1. Likewise, 23 have been diagnosed with flu H3 and 73 with influenza B.

Doctors said a significant number of patients visit the hospital each day for the treatment of such flu-like cases. According to Dr. Pun, most of the patients complain of symptoms of dry cough, high fever, weakness, sore throat, headache, runny nose, fatigue, diarrhea, which are mostly associated with the swine flu virus.

Doctors suggest that people having such symptoms should drink plenty of clean water and liquids.

Flu Symptoms

Flu is different from a cold. People who have flu feel some or all of the symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, and even diarrhea or vomiting.

How Flu Spreads

Doctors say flu viruses spread mainly by tiny droplets made when people with flu sneeze, cough, or talk.

Preventive measures

Doctors suggest that people should follow preventive measures to avoid flu. Isolation from an infected person is required.