BUJUMBURA, January 17th (ABP) – Cases of bronchitis presenting as an unprecedented flu are being observed in Bujumbura in this month of January 2025.
According to Dr. François Ndikumwenayo, pediatric pneumologist at Roi Khaled Hospital of Kamenge, bronchitis is a periodic disease whose viruses change properties, depending on the weather. At the beginning of rainy periods, these viruses circulate in the air and gradually diminish over time, he said.
According to him, the symptoms of acute bronchitis include: dry cough, appearance of phlegm, initially clear or whitish. In the event of bacterial superinfection, the secretions become yellowish and purulent. Acute bronchitis is often accompanied by fever, sore throat, headache, body aches, cold, sinusitis, to name but a few.
When asked what type of bronchitis is currently occurring in our country, Ndikumwenayo indicated that it requires a blood sample to be taken to the laboratory to identify the types of viruses circulating in our country.
However, he reassures the population that all types of bronchitis can be treated and cured. He states that this disease is transient, and can even heal without treatment, for a period of at least one or three weeks.
He took the opportunity to advise the population not to self-medicate, but rather to go to health facilities to undergo adequate treatment. In case of acute flu, it is advisable to drink plenty of water to facilitate secretion in the bronchi. People are also advised to follow hygiene measures such as coughing into the crook of the arm (elbow pit), wearing a mask, not greeting by shaking hands, getting vaccinated against bronchitis, and any other tips to avoid contaminating others.
It was revealed in WHO report released in October 2023 that approximately one billion cases of seasonal flu are recorded each year, including 3 to 4 million severe cases. The disease causes 290,000 to 6,500,000 deaths related to respiratory disorders each year, according to the same report.