Countries in the Southern Hemisphere are reporting far lower numbers of influenza and other seasonal respiratory viral infections this year, due to measures meant to corral the coronavirus, like mask use and restrictions on air travel:
“We keep checking for the other viruses, but all we’re seeing is Covid,” said Dr. Cortés, the Chilean doctor. Of roughly 1,300 Covid-19 patients she has treated since late March, only a handful had the flu. “We were surprised by the decline in the other viruses like influenza. We never dreamed it would practically disappear,” she said.
Chile has recorded only 1,134 seasonal respiratory infections so far this year, compared with 20,949 during the same period last year. In the first two weeks of July—the equivalent to early January in the Northern Hemisphere and the height of the local flu season—the country reported no new confirmed influenza cases.
Besides COVID, about 40,000 persons USA have died from the ordinary everyday yearly flu this year so far.
“far lower numbers of influenza”
Could a long term side effect of corona be a big reduction and maybe even wipe out influenza?
Does the type influenza that attacks humans need human host to survive long term?
Correlation is not causation.
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