Seasonal flu (Influenza)

Please help us stop the spread of infection throughout our hospitals during the winter season. If you are suffering from flu like symptoms or diarrhoea and vomiting do not visit the hospital. 

Seasonal flu (also known as influenza) is a highly infectious illness caused by a flu virus. The virus infects your lungs and upper airways, causing a sudden high temperature and general aches and pains. You could also lose your appetite, feel nauseous and have a dry cough. You may need to stay in bed until your symptoms get better. Symptoms can last for up to a week.

How it is spread
The flu virus is spread in the small droplets of saliva coughed or sneezed into the air by an infected person. If you breathe in these droplets, you may become infected. Flu can also spread if someone with the virus touches common surfaces such as door handles with unwashed hands. Typically several different strains of flu virus circulate at the same time. In 2010-11 one of the season's strains is H1N1, responsible for swine flu.

The infectious period
Symptoms develop one to four days (two days on average) after being infected. People with flu are usually infectious (can spread the virus) a day before symptoms start, and remain infectious for five or six days. Children and people with weaker immune systems (such as cancer patients) may remain infectious for slightly longer. Try to avoid all unnecessary contact with others during this infectious period.

How common is it?
Seasonal flu is a very common illness that occurs every year, usually during the winter months (October to April in the UK). The number of people who consult their GP with flu-like symptoms varies from year to year, but is usually between 50 and 200 for every 100,000 people. This is in addition to the many people with flu who do not see their GP.

Outlook
Your symptoms will usually peak after two to three days. You should begin to feel much better within five to eight days.

Further information 
If you are concerned contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647. 
For more information about influenza, use the links on the left or refer to the following websites: