Second Flu Wave Expected in Bulgaria as Health Experts Warn of Mixed Pathogens

Pediatrician Dr. Mario Yanakiev has warned that a second flu wave is expected to follow the peak of the first. This wave does not necessarily involve the flu virus but is instead caused by a combination of pathogens circulating after the flu epidemic. Dr. Yanakiev explains that the body’s exhaustion during this time leads to increased complications, such as pneumonia, otitis, and sinusitis.

He highlighted that this year’s flu infection has been unusual. Both fever and cough appear on the first day of illness, whereas in previous years, the cough typically emerged later. The cough is particularly intense and persistent, often lasting for weeks. Dr. Yanakiev also noted that he is seeing patients who have had the flu twice within a month. The recovery process for these patients is much slower and more difficult than usual, with influenza type B proving to be particularly aggressive among young individuals.

Although the flu wave is gradually subsiding, a variety of other viral infections is now circulating. The National Reference Laboratory for "Influenza and ARI" tested 384 clinical samples for influenza viruses A and B, as well as SARS-CoV-2. Among these, 25 samples tested positive for influenza A(H1N1), 53 for A(H3N2), and 55 for influenza B/Victoria, while only three samples were positive for COVID-19. Since the start of the year, just 208 cases of COVID have been reported in Bulgaria.

In children under the age of 5, 291 samples were tested for 8 different non-influenza respiratory viruses, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza types 1/2/3, adenoviruses, rhinoviruses, and bocaviruses. Among these, 32 samples were positive for RSV, 5 for metapneumovirus, 2 for parainfluenza viruses type 1, 17 for rhinovirus, 4 for adenovirus, and 8 for bocavirus.

Source: Telegraph media