One thing that doesn't pause during the holiday season is viruses and flu.
Psychics like the 'living Nostradamus' have predicted that in 2026 ', global monitoring needs to be strengthened,' as the EU is 'rushing to authorise a modified mRNA vaccine'. H5N1, a subtype of the Influenza A virus commonly called bird flu or avian influenza, has prompted these warnings following outbreaks in the UK and worldwide.
Although this virus in question is 'untreatable,' it's not a major worry and certainly not at the pandemic level Covid was.
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Eric Sachinwalla, the medical director of infection prevention and control at Jefferson Health in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, is warning of an illness called adenovirus which is spreading worldwide.
According to the health expert, the adenovirus presents symptoms similar to both coronavirus and flu, though you probably won't even notice the difference.
What is adenovirus?
Adenoviruses are a group of around 50 viruses that cause mild to moderate symptoms, though they can be severe in people with weakened immune systems, Public Health Scotland revealed.
Typical symptoms resemble a cold or flu, such as a cough, runny nose, sore throat, croup, swollen glands, fever or chills, and acute bronchitis. In some cases, adenovirus can lead to more serious illnesses including pneumonia, conjunctivitis and acute gastroenteritis, which causes diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain.
More rarely, the virus has been linked to bladder infections or inflammation, as well as neurological disease.
How widespread is adenovirus?
Most children have contracted adenovirus by age 10 without even realising it. There's currently no global tally of adenovirus cases, as nearly everyone worldwide has likely been infected at least once, probably multiple times, throughout their lives.
According to estimates, adenovirus accounts for 5 to 10% of clinically significant respiratory infections in children and between 1 to 7% of adults.
Meanwhile, around 75 million cases of diarrhoea in children under five were attributed to adenovirus in 2016 alone, the National Institutes of Health noted.
What to do if you contract the adenovirus
Unfortunately, there's no treatment for adenovirus and it doesn't respond well to everyday disinfectants. As Dr. Sachinwalla explains, using such products makes the virus 'live in the environment longer'.
Although if you come own with symptoms, there is one thing you can do - focus on yourself.
"The biggest thing is rest, which I know can be hard for some people," Dr Sachinwalla advised. "You also want to stay hydrated. Not all fevers need to be treated with Tylenol or Motrin, either. A fever is actually a tool of your body’s immune system — it’s how we fight infection."
Because adenovirus can feel a lot like a common cold, Dr. Sachinwalla’s advice is to check in with your GP if you’re still not feeling better after about three days.