According to him, the number of emergency calls the National Medical Emergency Centre has received through its 127 helpline and communication emergency centre from citizens all over the country reporting various health issues and the number of hospitalized people has increased with the increased circulation of influenza.

Brataj said that the Emergency Centre has received a total of 5800 calls, while a total of 1900 check-ups have been conducted at hospitals.

Brataj said in a TV interview that the seasonal flu was not prevailing previously as people were respecting the social distance and face mask rules, whereas the virus seems to be more aggressive as it has been dormant for around three years.

He noted that the COVID-19 case rates are currently low, but this situation could change as new variants emerge, and the disease continues to strain healthcare resources.

Common flu symptoms include runny nose, decrease in appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever and wheezing. Most infections resolve on their own in a week or two, but it can also cause more severe infections such as bronchiolitis, an inflammation of the small airways in the lung, and pneumonia, an infection of the lungs.

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