The winter months are synonymous with the flu in South Africa. Similar to other countries in the southern hemisphere, South Africa has an annual influenza season stretching from April to August.
Influenza (flu) is an acute respiratory illness caused by an infection of the respiratory tract with the influenza virus. Influenza is spread through respiratory droplets which you breathe in or can pick up from contaminated surfaces. People infected with the influenza virus how a wide range of symptoms such as sudden onset of fever, muscle pains and body aches, cough, sore throat, blocked or runny nose and headache. For most people, recovering from flu involves a few days of mild symptoms which resolve with symptomatic treatment. But for some, the flu can be deadly.
