All the recent health data showing a surge in trio viruses spreading in the world. Covid, influenza and Respiratory syncytial viruses are causing health issues throughout the world. All the three viruses are spreading and circulating fast. In a recent media briefing CDC’s Director Rochelle Walensky has warned about the surge in the three viruses.

Is it tripledemic?

In the medical world, experts are calling this condition tripledemic. All the three conditions exhibit similar symptoms and hard to differentiate. Sometimes the symptom could look like common cold.

Experts are worried about rebound of Covid-19 especially in China. Meanwhile the cases of other two are also higher when compared to previous years.

It is essential to understand if a person falls sick with covid, RSV, Flu or simple cold.

1. Covid-19, RSV and Flu – all three-share characteristic respiratory infections symptoms. This could affect throat, lung, airways, and nasal passage.
2. Flu and Covid-19 have some of the common or overlapping symptoms – fever, cough, trouble breathing, tiredness, headache, sore throat, nausea, and vomiting, running nose.
3. Both flu and Covid-19 show diarrhea symptoms too.
4. Flu generally shows symptoms of body aches and fever. One of the distinctive signs of the flu is high fever (could reach 103 or 104 F). Along with fever, chills, fatigue, and headache there could be nausea and vomiting symptoms. Children could also suffer from dehydration, pneumonia, ear infection, inflammation of brain or heart tissues.
5. Long covid – Covid symptoms take longer to show up when compared to flu and common cold. Apart from cough, headache, shortness of breath additional symptoms is loss of taste or smell, diarrhea and fatigue.
6. The overlapping symptoms of three viral infection – cough, fever, congestion, cold with running nose or stuffy nose.  
7. RSV symptoms include – fever, cough, breathing issues, wheezing, tiredness and stuffy nose, flaring nostrils, lack of appetite in both children and adults. RSV is infection is more common in toddlers and adults with compromised immune systems. And this year RSV cases are more so that the hospitals are seeing babies, toddlers and adults with RSV.

How to differentiate between Covid, flu or RSV?

“Because multiple respiratory viruses are co-circulating, many with similar symptoms, testing is important to determine the appropriate treatment,” the CDC continued. Submitting sample for any or all of the three tests will help to answer the question. If a person does not have any of the three conditions, then could be suffering from common cold.

How to prevent tripledemic and keep curve flat?

Practice hygiene as it was recommended during Covid-19 pandemic and same applies to flu and RSV. Both Covid-19 and Flu vaccinations are available for all. To stop spreading RSV just practicing hygiene, taking rest, and keeping body hydrated helps. Don’t forget to wear masks whenever you step out and join a group. Those whose body is immune compromised must be extra careful and all possible preventative measurements to stop allowing trio viruses that could harm the body.

References:

https://www.dailycal.org/

https://news.northeastern.edu/

https://abc7ny.com/

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