Health officials in central Türkiye are reporting a rise in patients with COVID-19 symptoms as flu season begins.
Dr. Şenol Atakan, president of the Aksaray Family Physicians Association, said doctors are seeing more patients presenting with fever, fatigue, sore throat, joint and muscle pain, nausea, and diarrhea. “We are seeing new COVID variants. Patients are coming in heavily infected,” he said.
Hospitals have noted an increase in visits to emergency departments for these symptoms in recent weeks. Atakan attributed the surge to cooler weather and increased time spent indoors. “Influenza is present year-round, but cases start to rise in the fall. Studies show that around 90% of tested patients are positive for COVID, with variants detected,” he added.
Atakan said the new variants can cause severe back pain, but people with strong immunity generally experience milder symptoms and rarely suffer shortness of breath. He warned that schools may accelerate the spread among children, with case numbers expected to peak in November and December before declining after March and April.
He emphasized the importance of vaccination, particularly for high-risk groups, including pregnant women, infants, and young people. “The flu vaccine is 50% to 70% effective. Many mistakenly think, ‘I got the flu even after the vaccine.’ Vaccination significantly reduces the risk of hospitalization, pneumonia, intensive care, and death,” he said.
Atakan also warned about the dangers of vaccine misinformation. “Due to anti-vaccine messages on social media, vaccination in babies and children is being overlooked. Diseases like measles and tetanus, which we had nearly eradicated, are reemerging,” he said, calling for stricter government measures against false information.
He cautioned against unnecessary emergency visits and the misuse of antibiotics. “Emergency rooms can become centers of disease spread. Antibiotics have no effect on viral infections and can even cause further problems. Simple measures like salt rinses have been shown to reduce virus transmission and shorten illness,” he said.
Atakan encouraged the public to rely on healthcare professionals for information on vaccines and viral illnesses. “We must follow science, not misinformation. This is in everyone’s best interest,” he said.
