The Shanghai Medical Aid Center was attending to 450 emergency calls a day with the official arrival of winter.

Cardiovascular diseases, colds, high fevers, coughs, asthma and other respiratory diseases due to the sudden drop in temperatures accounted for most of the rise in hospital admissions.

Medical practitioners have reminded residents to pay attention to changes in the weather and to keep warm, especially the elderly, children and the debilitated.

Colds and Flu

Colds are obviously the most common illness this chilly season. The infection is not very dangerous but can be troublesome with its symptoms of a congested head, continuous sneezing and mucus discharge.

Medicines can help ease the symptoms but the victim's body must fight the illness by itself. Generally, patients will recover within one or two weeks.

However, real problems arise if the bacterial infection spreads to other parts of the respiratory system such as the lungs or bronchi.

Flu, sometimes mistaken for the common cold, is much more serious and the virus can rapidly spread through the body and can even lead to cardiac problems.

Generally, the period from December to January is the high-risk time for a flu epidemic.

Vaccines are the best and only defence against the flu. People, especially the elderly should take the vaccine every year as the flu virus can vary from year to year.

The medicines used for treating colds are useless against the flu virus and cold and flu patients should go to their doctors for the correct medical treatment.

Cardiovascular Diseases

Winter is also a dangerous season for patients with high blood pressure, heart disease and other cardiovascular problems.

Due to sudden sharp drop in temperature, men's blood vessels shrink and high blood pressure can lead to cerebral hemorrhage and strokes.

Thanks to the widespread use of air-conditioners and heating systems, residents staying indoors should not feel the cold at all. However, the large difference in temperature between the indoor environment and the chill outside is another danger.

Residents should also be constantly alert to the risk of hepatitis B when dining out.

(Shanghai Star December 25, 2002)