It appears to be spreading fast, with people taking days to recover
A new strain of super-flu has left hundreds of people floored and unable to shift its symptoms for days on end – and no, it’s not Covid.
Starting primarily in the south before spreading up towards the north of the UK, a new bug that has been labeled the ‘worst cold ever’ has left countless incapacitated, feeling drained and plagued with coughing fits.
Other reported symptoms include a runny nose and generally feeling pretty terrible, says The Sun.
One sufferer took to Facebook to share news of her illness, saying: “Two weeks now and it’s not funny at all. First cold I’ve had in years and it’s floored me.”
Meanwhile another complained about the ongoing impact it was having on their day-to-day life: “I’ve had a terrible cold for nearly three weeks, can’t seem to get rid of it.”
Most who fall ill with this mega-cold have also tested negative for Covid-19 and the highly-transmissible Delta variant. However it might not come as too much of a surprise to discover that the root cause of this sudden surge of the lurgy does have links that trace back to the pandemic.
After spending the majority of the past few months confined to our houses, most people have lost the bulk of their immunity to common colds and the flu.
As the world starts to open back-up and large groups of people begin to mix once more, the usual winter infections that we’ve been able to deal with for so long have suddenly gained an advantage over our immune systems.
London-based GP Dr Philippa Kaye explained the situation in more detail to the BBC: “We are mixing in a way that we haven’t been mixing over the past 18 months.
“During those first lockdowns, we saw numbers of other [non-Covid] infections fall. We think that that was primarily due to the restrictions on meeting up.”
She added: “We’ve actually been seeing a rise in the number of coughs and colds and viral infections.”
Despite increased reports of this new strain of flu, it’s important to remember that the Delta variant also makes itself known via the same symptoms.
So if you’re feeling under the weather, make sure you play it safe by getting a PCR test and avoiding any unnecessary contact with the public or work colleagues.
Related links:
- UK weather: First snowfall could hit within days as temperatures drop 10C
- Met Office confirms snow is likely in weeks as Britain heads into winter
- Respiratory illnesses could claim 60,000 lives this winter as flu jab campaign launched
