An influenza epidemic has swept through Portugal. Find out how to prevent and treat at home.

In the last few weeks of the year, an influenza epidemic broke out in Portugal. From December 11 to 17, 960 cases of influenza were recorded, of which 877 were type A. According to a report by the National Institute of Health Dutor Ricardo Jorge, for the same period last year the numbers were much lower: 497 new cases of influenza were reported, of which 399 were type A. Influenza and Covid-19 infection reached 59 people. But the Medical Association is urging less serious cases not to go to the emergency department, which has restrictions in place in the last week of 2023.

And if the hospital should be avoided, there are some tips for treating the flu at home. Ideally, you should stay at home to rest and prevent the spread of the disease, he explains to the publication. morning Post Dr. Paulo Almeida, general and family medicine physician at USF Norton de Matos, in Coimbra. Another habit to maintain when you have the flu is to drink plenty of fluids, preferring water and avoiding alcoholic beverages.

“In most cases, no special treatment is required, just medication to relieve symptoms,” says the doctor. However, please note that if you have a fever lasting more than 5 days, difficulty breathing, chest pain or noise when breathing, you should consult a doctor.

If you don’t feel any symptoms and want to try to “run away” from the epidemic, Dr. Paulo Almeida explains that there are several tips to prevent the flu:

– Wash your hands often with soap and for a long time, especially after contact with a sick person;
– Avoid direct contact with sick people and do not share food, cutlery or glasses;
– Ventilate the premises well and clean all surfaces that may have been contaminated by secretions;
– Wear a mask;
– A flu vaccine that will be indicated for certain groups of the population, namely people over 65 or people with certain chronic diseases, pregnant women or health care workers.

If you want to confirm whether you have influenza A, you should take a nasopharyngeal swab, the same one used for Covid-19.