Quad-demic symptoms explained amid 350% rise in Brits hospitalised with flu
The NHS have issues a warning about the so-called 'quad-demic' illnesses after new figures showed cases of three of them were surging. The four - Covid, flu, norovirus and RSV - seem similar on the surface but have distinct symptoms that Brits should look out for in the winter months.
The UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) is currently monitoring activity levels of the four illnesses amid a 352% increase in the numbers of people hospitalised with flu compared to this time last year, according to new NHS data that suggests the health service is going to come under increased pressure in the winter months.
Patients suffering from diarrhoea, vomiting bugs or norovirus occupied more than a thousand beds every day last week with a peak of 1,160 on Sunday, compared to a daily average of 591 this time last year. UKHSA figures released yesterday show an increase of flu, RSV and norovirus. Covid was the only one of the four to remain stable.
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These are some of the quad-demic symptoms to look out for:
1. Flu: Symptoms of flu can come on very quickly and leave you feeling exhausted. It will often get better on its own but can make some people seriously unwell. A sudden high temperature, aching body, loss of appetite, dry cough, sore throat, headache and tummy pains are common symptoms. Children are likely to experience the same, but can also experience ear pain.
2. Covid: Most of us are well aware of Covid's unpleasant symptoms from the pandemic. They include a high temperature or shivering, loss or change to your taste or smell, shortness of breath, exhaustion or a new continuous cough. It can get better in a matter of days but symptoms can last significantly longer. Covid can, as we know, be tested for using kits sold in pharmacies.
3. RSV: The respiratory syncytial virus spreads in the coughs and sneezes of people who have it, making it extremely common. Symptoms typically start within a few days of getting infected and can include tiredness, a runny or blocked nose, a cough, sneezing and high temperature. It particularly affects children and tends to get better in one or two weeks.
4. Norovirus: Also known as the winter vomiting bug, norovirus is spread through contact with people who have it, or from food or surfaces where the virus is living. Symptoms include nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, headache, aching arms and legs and a high temperature. Sufferers will normally start to feel better in a few days with rest and fluids to avoid dehydration.
