Your guide to winter illness in China

For expats, their first winter in China can often be a nightmare. Getting infected with a disease your body isn’t familiar with can take a long time to recover from. With temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celcius) in northern cities like Beijing, catching a deadly cold can leave you bed-ridden for weeks.

That’s why our experts at Pacific Prime China have compiled this short guide of the common winter illness in China for you, going through their symptoms, preventative measures, and treatment methods.

Common cold

Viral infection in the nasal and throat area is common throughout the entire year in China. However, the common cold becomes a widespread winter illness in China towards the end of each year. Thankfully, the common cold is not a serious illness and can easily be dealt with. The most important thing for expats to take note is that common cold variants can vary from region to region. This means that even if you are immune to most common colds in the Western hemisphere, you can still easily catch a cold in China.

The symptoms of the common cold include:

• Runny or stuffy nose
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Congestion
• Slight body aches or a mild headache
• Sneezing
• Low-grade fever
• Generally feeling unwell (malaise)

Treating the common cold

There is no cure for the common cold. However, as the symptoms are usually not too severe, plenty of rest and water will speed up your recovery. If symptoms continue to get worse, make sure you visit a doctor.

Flu in China

Much like common colds, influenza flu variants in China can differ from those in other regions. For instance, the notorious H3N2 virus – a subtype of the influenza A virus – gripped China and the wider Asia Pacific region back in 2004. For this reason, it is important that you get a flu shot as soon as you arrive in China to avoid catching the virus.

The symptoms of the flu are similar to that of the common cold but more severe in nature. They include:

• High fever
• Wet coughs (coughs with mucus)
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

Treating the flu

There is no direct cure for the flu. However, taking pills to alleviate symptoms, such as runny nose, muscle aches, and high fever can help you pass the flu with a lot more ease. Again, drinking plenty of water and getting enough rest is key for a speedy recovery.

Bronchitis

Think the common cold but with a hundred times more mucus. The bronchial tube connects your windpipes with your lungs. If you’re breathing right now (p.s. you should be), there is air passing through your bronchial tubes. When these tubes get inflamed, they produce a lot of mucus. Welcoming endless waves of slimy yucks in your throat isn’t a pleasant feeling, and unfortunately, it’s a feeling many people experience in China during the winter.

Let’s quickly go through the symptoms of this mucus disaster:

• Cough
• Production of mucus (sputum)
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Slight fever and chills
• Chest discomfort

Treating bronchitis

If you get bronchitis, avoid drinking alcohol and smoking as doing so may worsen the symptoms. Increasing the humidity in your home by boiling water on the stove or using a humidifier can also help alleviate symptoms. If they get worse, visit your local doctor as soon as possible.

Pneumonia

The pneumonia lung infection is believed to be the plague behind the ‘black death’ in the middle-ages. It’s estimated to have killed over 50 million people in the 14th century, and in China, it’s back. In 2014, 151 people in the city of Yumen were placed under quarantine after a man died from the plague. More alarmingly, as recently as November this year, two people in China have again been diagnosed with the disease. Luckily, the advancements of modern medicine mean the disease is no longer as deadly as it used to be.

The pneumonia pathogen causes inflammation in the lung’s air sacs, leading to the following symptoms, according to Mayo Clinic:

• Chest pain when you breathe or cough
• Confusion or changes in mental awareness (in adults age 65 and older)
• Cough, which may produce phlegm
• Fatigue
• Fever, sweating, and shaking chills
• Lower than normal body temperature (in adults older than age 65 and people with weak immune systems)
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
• Shortness of breath

Treating pneumonia

If the pneumonia is caused by bacteria, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat bacterial pneumonia. Keep in mind that pneumonia can be caused by various types of pathogens, including many kinds of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. This means your doctor may prescribe many rounds of antibiotics if symptoms do not get better. In the meantime, you should drink plenty of water, get sufficient rest, and take over-the-counter medications to alleviate the symptoms.

Norovirus gastroenteritis

Known as the winter vomiting bug, norovirus gastroenteritis does just that. This infectious disease is particularly prevalent in the winter season in China. Norovirus targets the digestive system, causing various symptoms, such as:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain or cramps
• Watery or loose diarrhea
• Malaise
• Low-grade fever
• Muscle pain

The terrifying thing about this disease is that some people can become carriers. They may be infected with the virus but show no symptoms. Still, they are able to infect others around them via close contact or contact through food and water.

Treating norovirus gastroenteritis

There is little you can do to get rid of the disease. It may take a week or more to pass the virus, depending on your physical condition. Therefore, it’s important to remain hydrated and rested during this period. If symptoms worsen, it is always wise to seek medical attention.

How to prevent winter illness in China

Apart from getting the essential vaccinations and staying healthy, there is little you can do to avoid these diseases. But there’s no need to panic. In the vast majority of cases, these diseases are mild and can be treated easily. The key here is knowing what to do to prevent these winter illnesses from getting worse.

As mentioned, getting a flu shot can help you deal with the flu and the common cold in the Middle Kingdom. Other things you can do is to avoid long-term exposure to the cold weather or snow and avoid eating unsanitary food to minimize the risk of getting norovirus gastroenteritis.

If you’d like to know more about healthcare or health insurance issues in China, feel free to visit Pacific Prime China’s blog to learn about the latest trends in the country. We are Asia’s leading health insurance broker, providing coverage to over 500,000 individuals and 4,000 corporations worldwide. We specialize in providing individual health insurance for expats in China, family health insurance plans, and elderly healthcare plans.

For more information, feel free to contact our team of experts for no-obligation, free insurance advice today!

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