A scend in H3N2 and Coronavirus cases: What distinguishes these two respiratory viruses?
According to an expert, most people have received two doses of the Covid vaccine, which is why H3N2 symptoms are more severe than those of Covid.
Ankush Pandey
India is experiencing a rise in the number of Covid-19 cases and severe influenza cases at the same time. Even though the symptoms of the two respiratory viruses are the same, there are some ways that doctors can tell when a person has Covid-19 or the flu.
There are two types of influenza: A and B. Influenza A, which is currently in the country, is of two distinct strains: H1N1 and H3N2. Additionally, there are two lineages of Influenza B: Yamagata and Victoria.
The Victoria lineage of influenza B is prevalent in India, whereas the H3N2 strain of influenza A is extremely prevalent. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) says that H1N1 is also spreading, but there are fewer cases of it.
Dr. V. Ravi, a virologist and Head of Research and Development at Tata Medical and Diagnostics in New Delhi, claims that the symptoms of H3N2 are more severe than those of Covid because most people have already received two doses of the latter vaccine, which is now only mildly contagious.
"The current H3N2 virus typically causes a fever that ranges from 101 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit. There is a severe cough, and many patients also have a sore throat or a change in voice. Dr. Ravi stated, "The most severe symptom is difficulty breathing."
He went on to say that the fever typically lasts four to five days. On the other hand, the cough will continue for another week. This is because the virus affects the bronchioles and windpipe, which cause coughing," he stated.
The most obvious difference between Covid and H3N2 is that H3N2, like H1N1, spreads seasonally, typically during the change in season, whereas Covid is more contagious and spreads quickly from human to human.
However, the severity of illnesses is nearly identical. Like pneumonia, H3N2 can also become severe. According to Dr. Chinnadurai R, Lead Consultant - Critical Care, Aster RV Hospital, Bangalore, "a lung transplant may be required in rare cases."
He continued, "I think we are returning to the pre-Covid era in which the H3N2 is dominating."According to Dr. Chinnadurai, if a Covid-infected person talks to another person, the virus spreads in ten minutes."However, in H3N2, it isn't probably going to spread exceptionally quick on the off chance that two individuals are talking. The chance might be that we could have better insusceptibility to battle H3N2 in light of the fact that pre-Coronavirus this was essential for the occasional influenza," he said.
According to Dr. Tanu Singhal, Consultant, Paediatrics and Infectious Disease, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai, the two viruses typically spread through cough droplets that can travel a distance of one meter or three feet. The expert stated that as a result, the risk of transmission is greater in enclosed spaces than in larger ones.
The specific symptoms of the two viruses also differ in how they are treated. While anti-fever medication is prescribed for H3N2, physicians recommend more recent Covid-specific medications.
An advanced PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test can be used to make a diagnosis for the two viruses. Notwithstanding, it is costly.
"There is a high level PCR test that tests for all respiratory infections. Other viruses, such as adenovirus and human metapneumovirus (HPV), are also spreading during this time. This sophisticated PCR test can identify all of these viruses. The only drawback is that the tests cost a lot, anywhere from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000," Dr. Singhal stated.
