Respiratory illness with fever gripped Bhutanese refugee camps in Jhapa and Morang districts over the last fortnight.

The flu, which is a common occurrence in refugee camps around this time, has affected hundreds – both children and the adults.

“The pattern of disease has been similar to that of the previous two years, affecting both children and adults and indicating the arrival of the common flu,” the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR), which oversees the settlement of refugees in coordination with some international donors, said in a press statement.

According to the UN refugee agency, the spread of flu started from June 26 with an incidence rate of 8 per 1000 persons and it the rate grew 11 per 1000 persons by July 03 but declined to 4 per 1000 persons by July 09.

The UNHCR said as this is a seasonal occurrence and precautionary measures had been identified and implemented on time. The occurrence of common flu is being looked at by a team of experts comprising officials from Walter Reed/AFRIMS Research Unit Nepal, Ministry of Health in coordination with the WHO, UNCHR and AMDA Nepal, the statement said.

For those infected by common flu, medications to bring down fever and antibiotics to treat secondary bacterial infections are being administered and the AMDA Nepal, the UNHCR’s partner agency in health sector, has stockpiled necessary medicines and health centers are reinforced with adequate number of health workers in view of the occurrence of the common flu, the UNHCR said.