Concerns are growing over the rising cases of flu across the country, with between 800 and 1,100 people expected to be in hospital with flu over Christmas. According to the HSE, the number of reported ...

The common cold and the flu are frequently confused due to their overlapping symptoms. However, they are caused by different viruses and require distinct approaches to care and management.

The influenza virus hijacks human cells in the nose and throat to make copies of itself. (Dreamstime) The influenza virus hijacks human cells in the nose and throat to make copies of itself.

Q My wife started getting sick a few days before Halloween. We were worried that it was going to turn into a bad respiratory illness, but it stayed in her nose and throat. That’s a common cold, right?

Dear A.T.R.: Both colds and influenza (the "flu") are respiratory illnesses that are caused by viruses. Influenza is caused specifically by the influenza viruses, which come in two main types (A and B ...