It’s time to wear your warm clothes, socks, and beanies as the country slowly moves into the colder weather season.

Health Minister Dr. Ifereimi Waqainabete is calling on the public to be wary because the cold weather may also be a factor in the widespread flu cases around the country.
The Minister is advising the public to take good care of their health by having enough rest, staying hydrated and eating right as the cold weather kicks in – especially those in the vulnerable groups.

The very vulnerable are the young children, the elderly and those who have underlying pathologists, for example, someone who’s had a previous stroke, diabetes, someone who’s had a heart attack from before and with a simple flu bug such as this they’re the ones who are very vulnerable.

Dr. Waqainabete says they have yet to confirm whether there’s a new bug flying around or it’s just a continuation of the acute febrile illness that’s affected many Fijians.

As soon as they begin to have symptoms of the flu whether its joint pains, fever and all that we must ensure we take them straight to facilities to be seen at health centers, sub-divisional hospitals and to be seen as quickly as possible.

Despite the many remedies available for flu – including herbal medicines – Fijians are also being called to give conventional medicine a chance.

According to the Fiji Meteorology Service, the cold season is May to October, but July to August is the coldest.