With all eyes on COVID‘s new strain, Kraken, and the new wave of infections and hospitalizations the virus is causing, you may have forgotten about the flu. But influenza is pretty much alive and kicking in the US. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been around 30,000 cases reported since October.
Since the start of the pandemic, public health experts and doctors have warned about the risks of a “twindemic”, where dual rising cases of flu and coronavirus overwhelm hospitals. And their worry became a reality at the end of 2022.
It’s called “flurona” and is basically a simultaneous infection of both coronavirus and influenza, which causes the flu. That is, when you test positive for COVID and flu.
Since flurona cases have been relatively rare throughout the pandemic, the number of co-infection hospitalizations is currently increasing in the US. So if you haven’t heard about flurona yet, chances are you’ll learn more about it in the coming few weeks.
And scientists are here to help us understand why this dual infection is more common these days. According to a multi-year study, the Omicron wave seems to coincide with a very active flu season. This has created the perfect scenario for more flurona cases than ever before in the coronavirus pandemic.
Experts say a dual infection could cause a more severe illness, although that isn’t always the case. “A co-infection of any type can worsen your symptoms or be more severe,” says Kristen Coleman, assistant research professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Health.
Now let’s get to the point of this article. What are the symptoms of flurona? Whether you’re wondering if you’ve already had it or just want to stay informed, we’ve rounded up some hallmark symptoms of this nasty co-infection. Check this out!
