"The number of dead is disastrous"; Doctors in Serbia claim - it's just the beginning

"The number of dead is disastrous"; Doctors in Serbia claim - it's just the beginning

However, according to "Blic", a wave of increase in patients who have a fever, cough, sneeze, feel a pain in the throat, are weak and have flu-like or covid-like symptoms is expected in the coming days. The main impact of tridemia is yet to be expected, and pediatricians are already working at full steam.

The return of the youngest to kindergartens and schools has led to the fact, doctors say, that viral and bacterial infections are now spreading faster, not only among children, but also to everyone else.

"At the moment, most patients have AH1, AH3, subtypes of influenza, we have whooping cough, covid, and some other viruses that affect children. Due to staying in rooms where children stay, an epidemic can also occur. Parents should take care not to send children to kindergartens and schools if they are sick," warns Dr Aleksandar Stojanović, director of the "Palilula" health center for "Blic".

However, he points out that the death rate is twice as high in January and February.

"My coroner's service records such data, and we never know why. The number of people who die is disastrous," warns Dr Stojanović and states that it is very important that people do not opt to treat themselves on their own, but go to a doctor.

He notes that in this period, children are especially affected by viral and bacterial infections because the school holidays are over, besides, the temperature fluctuations are huge, the weather is cold - warm, and all together, literally leads to everyone being sick.

"Everyone is sick, everyone is coughing, they have some of the viruses. We will see what happens next. I hope it will get better, although I am not optimistic," says Dr Stojanović.

"Pediatricians are falling apart"

"Colleagues of pediatricians are falling apart due to crowded waiting rooms and huge number of patients. They say that they have doubled the number of patients compared to last week. They barely have time to do their work, because the rush of patients is great. Most of the children have the flu," says epidemiologist Dr Nebojša Bohucki from the Institute of Public Health in Subotica.

It is recalled that in Vojvodina, the winter vacation ended earlier, and therefore children were in school for seven days longer, which was enough to increase the number of sick people. He explains that patients with the flu have a clinical picture accompanied by a high temperature of 39-40 degrees, even 41 degrees, rarely, but it happens.

"Along with a high temperature, patients have pains in the whole body and a headache. The high temperature lasts for days, some people have it for five days and it is difficult to come down. There is also nausea and vomiting. The clinical picture is completely consistent with the flu, and it is most common among younger people. The younger the patients, the more common the disease. When it comes to general practice, it is under pressure due to the growing number of patients, but not as much as the great pressure on pediatrics", says Dr. Bohucki.

According to him, children are now expected to infect their parents and grandparents at home.

"What we announced in December is happening right now. We are approaching the peak and it will come soon. Everyone will be sick, and for now, the younger ones are leading the way. The shift towards the older age groups is to follow. So, the tridemia is here. Flu, covid, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are present, but the flu is now definitely in the first place," says Dr Nebojša Bohucki for "Blic".