Flu cases will probably peak by mid-February in Tunisia, said Riadh Daghfous, the Director General of the National Pharmacovigilance Centre and Chair of the Vaccination Committee.

There is need to abide by preventive measures, he added, amid wide-spreading seasonal influenza.

Flu viruses in Tunisia, mainly H1N1 and H3N2, have hit winter high since November, resulting in a significant number of emergency admissions and hospitalizations.

Symptoms include high fever, headaches, runny nose, vomiting and cough, Daghfous said. Seasonal flu vaccines are available in private pharmacies. They provide a good protection against the virus and reduce the severity of the disease.

The spread of COVID-19 is much slower than seasonal flu. Compliance with preventive measures, mainly hand hygiene and mask wearing, is of capital importance.