Question
What are the symptoms of the H7N9 virus?
Answer
Patients infected with the H7N9 virus typically present with flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, and little phlegm, accompanied by headache, muscle aches, and overall discomfort. Severe cases may rapidly worsen, leading to severe pneumonia with a persistent body temperature above 39°C, and difficulty breathing with coughing up blood-stained sputum. Other complications include acute respiratory distress syndrome, pleural effusion, sepsis, shock, altered consciousness, and acute kidney injury. For pediatric patients, as they cannot express their own feelings, the condition can only be assessed by observing their body temperature and respiratory status. Although fever is a common symptom, it is still advisable to take children to the hospital for timely examination to rule out the possibility of viral infection.