A Vietnamese university lecturer has addressed concerns about whether the rapidly spreading influenza in South Korea could impact Ho Chi Minh City, amid worries that returning Vietnamese travelers might bring flu strains back from the East Asian country.

Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is an acute respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses which have circulated worldwide for a long time.

It is not caused by a new virus, explained Assoc. Prof. Dr. Do Van Dung from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Dr. Dung, the key issue is not about detecting or stopping flu strains from South Korea but rather whether one of two scenarios occurs: a new variety of influenza viruses emerges, rendering current flu vaccines ineffective, or existing flu strains mutate to become more contagious, virulent, or resistant to treatments.

Dr. Dung assured that based on the latest data, neither of these scenarios has been observed.

Currently, the most common flu strains in South Korea include A(H1N1)pdm09 (34.6 percent prevalence), A(H3N2) (14.9 percent), and B (1.4 percent).

These strains are already present in Ho Chi Minh City, which makes quarantine measures at airports unnecessary, Dr. Dung noted.

South Korean health authorities are urging high-risk groups, including children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with underlying conditions, to get vaccinated, as current flu vaccines are effective against these strains.

No significant mutations have been detected in the flu viruses that would cause rapid spread or drug resistance, Dr. Dung emphasized, attributing the widespread flu outbreak in South Korea to cold winter weather rather than virus mutations.

The lecturer also pointed out that respiratory illnesses, including those caused by human metapneumovirus (HMPV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and even COVID-19, tend to increase during colder months.

Dr. Dung advised residents of Ho Chi Minh City to practice good respiratory hygiene to avoid flu infections and urged individuals in vulnerable groups to get vaccinated.

In South Korea, influenza cases recently reached an eight-year high, overwhelming many pediatric and ear-nose-throat hospitals, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

COVID-19 cases, which had been declining, also spiked again in December.

Amid the worsening outbreak, exacerbated by cold weather, Seoul authorities on Friday launched a campaign encouraging residents to wear masks for two weeks, starting Monday, as a preventive measure.

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