AANES health official says current flu spread is seasonal, not alarming
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – A health official in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) told North Press on Wednesday that the current spread of influenza among the population in northeastern Syria is seasonal and does not pose a cause for concern.
Meryem Abdul Rahim, co-chair of the AANES’s Health Council in Hasakah Governorate, northeastern Syria, said that the virus circulating at this time of year is not new, describing it as a seasonal illness that has been present since 1968 and reemerges annually.
She explained that the virus spreads more rapidly during cold weather and in crowded settings such as schools and markets, which facilitate transmission.
According to Abdul Rahim, common symptoms include high fever, headache, sore throat, and joint pain, stressing that “there is no need for fear or alarm regarding patients’ health.”
She noted that fatalities are extremely rare and are typically linked to delayed medical treatment, weakened immunity, or pre-existing chronic conditions.
Abdul Rahim emphasized that the virus should not be interpreted as the onset of an epidemic or a dangerous outbreak, but rather as a seasonal illness.
On Tuesday, the AANES announced a 4-day suspension of school attendance across the region due to a sharp rise in influenza infections among students.
The decision followed reports from local health facilities of a significant increase in seasonal influenza cases, including H3N2, with hundreds of patients—children and elderly people among them—seeking treatment daily.