Kuwait City, 11 Oct: Respiratory Diseases Consultant, professor at the college of Medicine, Kuwait university Dr. Nasser Behbehani said Coronavirus is still around due to its variants.

He was speaking on the sidelines of Kuwait Saudi Pharmaceuticals Company’s launch of IDREX nasal spray and solution for the treatment of seasonal sinusitis and bronchial asthma.

He said as for Corona we are now facing new variants which increase the power of the spread of the virus, but the assuring thing in general in Kuwait and worldwide is that the virus has become weaker due to herd immunity be it through vaccination or prior infection.

He said that during autumn which a season during which all factors that increase diseases of the respiratory system, as we have the return to school and increased children mixing with each other that in addition to going from one season to another so the number of cases of respiratory viral diseases.

Behbehani’s advise is to take interest in vaccinations, adding that Health Ministry launched the winter vaccinations earlier including the seasonal flu, pneumonia and these vaccinations are important for most people, particularly the elderly and chronic diseases patients.

He said the percentage of bronchial asthma cases in children according to statistics in children is nearly 8:10 and 5:7 in adults in Kuwait and most gulf countries.

Meanwhile Pediatrician and neonatal consultant Dr Ashraf Othman spoke about the acute bacterial sinusitis in children, its causes and treatment. He said among the factors that leads to the acute bacterial sinusitis in children is viral infection and it is widespread in Kuwait with the return to school, as viral cases increase during autumn.

He said: the basic message is that the viral infection does not need any antibiotics, as there could be rise un temperature in the first two days with cough and runny nose and the symptoms will end within 7 to 10 days, and the salty spray can be used along with some warm liquids.

He said if the temperature persists for more than 3 days over 39 degrees and the child feels very tired then the doctor will be forced to use antibiotics, so there is no need use them unnecessarily adding that antibiotics have side effects when used with viral infections as it has no effect on the virus.

He said the second reason other than viral diseases is allergy and its spread in autumn which has symptoms such as runny nose, blockage, headache, and sputum and in this case the doctor prescribes some antiallergic nasal sprays to treat nose blockage.