Are masks making a comeback? Bad news: Covid-19 cases increase in Türkiye

Covid-19, which once gripped the entire world, is once again becoming a nightmare. Pulmonologist Prof. Dr. Muhammed Emin Akkoyunlu, noting that the number of cases in Turkey has increased, explained that many people presenting to hospitals with flu complaints have actually been diagnosed with Covid-19. Akkoyunlu warned, "Just like the rest of the world, cases are on the rise again in our country."

ARE MASKS COMING BACK?

Prof. Dr. Muhammed Emin Akkoyunlu stated that severe cases have started to appear again and said, “Masks and social distancing not only prevent the spread of the disease but also prevent the disease from progressing severely.”

IT IS SPREADING RAPIDLY, PAY ATTENTION TO THESE SYMPTOMS

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hüsrev Diktaş stated that Omicron variants are rapidly spreading again worldwide, warning, "High fever, fatigue, sore throat, and loss of taste and smell are also observed with these variants." Experts emphasized that older adults, children, and immunocompromised individuals are particularly at greater risk.

NEARLY ALL OF THE CASES THAT CAME AS FLU ARE COVID

Drawing attention once again to the importance of masks and social distancing, Prof. Dr. Muhammed Emin Akkoyunlu made the following statement:

We can say that Covid cases have increased in our outpatient clinic over the past month. In particular, we can say that almost all of the cases presenting as flu are Covid.

"THERE ARE PATIENTS TAKEN TO INTENSIVE CARE"

In fact, although cases generally present with mild symptoms, there have also been life-threatening cases with flu-like symptoms that have led to hospitalization and intensive care.

In these cases, we had to use stronger medications, as we did in the early stages of the pandemic. Therefore, this is a clear warning: COVID is not over and is in the process of re-emerging. One of the questions here is, who is experiencing more severe symptoms, and which cases are more likely to develop severely? If one of the virus variants is severe, the disease can also be severe. Furthermore, the amount of virus ingested is crucial. In other words, if a person has been exposed to a large amount of the virus, the disease can be more severe.

Therefore, we can say that masks and social distancing not only prevent the spread of the disease but also prevent its progression. Ventilation is also important in this regard. Of course, the disease progresses much more severely in older people or if there are comorbidities, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, organ failure, or cancer. Furthermore, patients taking immunosuppressant medications also have a higher risk of severe disease.

'SUBTYPES OF THE OMICRON VARIANT ARE BECOMING WIDESPREAD'

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hüsrev Diktaş stated that the Stratus and Nimbus subtypes of the Omicron variant, which are subtypes of Covid-19, are increasingly widespread worldwide, saying, “As of May, based on American data, we see that the Omicron variant, which is a subtype of Covid-19, has begun to spread again worldwide. We see that the Stratus and Nimbus subtypes of the Omicron variant are extremely important in this increase. These variants are observed in different regions around the world. However, their symptoms are not very different from other Covid cases. Clinically, fever, fatigue, weakness, upper respiratory tract infection signs, and severe sore throats are the most prominent symptoms.”

Diktaş said, "Diarrhea can occur in some cases. Neurological symptoms such as loss of taste and smell can also be observed in these variants. So, what should we do? One of the key points here is to pay attention to personal hygiene and precautions. It's crucial, especially for children starting school, to not send them to school if they have these symptoms, to isolate them, and to provide supportive care. Which groups are at greater risk? The condition is particularly severe in older adults, childhood patients, and those with suppressed immune systems. We need to be vigilant about this."