Answering the questions of journalists after the cabinet meeting, Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca warned about masks and vaccines due to increasing diseases. Pointing out that the occupancy rate in intensive care beds has increased, Minister Koca also explained the most common diseases.
FLU, RSV AND COVID…
When asked by a journalist that there has been an increase in respiratory tract infections in recent days and which viruses are currently active, Koca said, “In the winter months we are in, there is an increase in upper respiratory tract infections, especially caused by viruses. These increases are not specific to our country. In other winter months, “The situation is similar in other countries. Since this is the expected result due to seasonal conditions, there is nothing to worry about. However, we can say that there is an increase of nearly 20 percent in emergency visits compared to the same period last year. The most common flu, that is, influenza, is followed by RSV and Covid.” he replied.
“IF WE ARE IN THE RISK GROUP, WE SHOULD GET VACCINATED”
On the question about protection from upper respiratory tract infections, which increase in the winter period, Koca shared the following:
“We should act as we normally do when dealing with cold and flu-related complaints. As we have all experienced many times, such complaints will disappear in a short time with simple measures. If the complaints continue for a long time, we should first consult a family doctor. There is another important point, those with chronic diseases Pregnant women, adults over the age of 65, and children under the age of 2 can be greatly affected by upper respiratory tract infections. For this reason, it is important to contact our emergency services without delay. If we are in the risk group, we should get vaccinated.
If we are in the same environment with a person who has an infection or has symptoms, we must protect ourselves from risk. If we have an infection, we should wear a mask when we are in the same environment with others. Apart from these, there are many other factors: hygiene, consuming plenty of fluids, paying attention to nutrition, etc. “Even using some of our experience from the days of Covid can help us spend this winter healthily.”
“WE ARE TRYING TO GET THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM”
Minister of Health Koca, in response to the question about whether there is a shortage of space in hospitals, said the following:
“Our service bed occupancy rate in hospitals is 65 percent on average, that is, we do not have a problem with service beds. The occupancy rate in intensive care beds is approximately 72 percent, that is, there is a slight increase compared to last year. In Istanbul, the intensive care occupancy rate is approximately 83 percent, that is, the most “The city with the highest increase is Istanbul. Due to this increase in Istanbul, we are trying to get through this process without any problems by increasing the number of beds and with the intense efforts of our healthcare professionals.”
(AA)
