So far this year, according to official data, influenza has been virtually non-existent and so has RSV (another pathogen that causes flu-like symptoms). Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise.
Moreover, the flu season usually starts in May, the same time that COVID-19 cases began to sharply increase.
Is this just a coincidence?
No. Regular influenza and other respiratory infections such as RSV have simply been re-classified as ‘COVID-19’.
So far, around 4000 people have died of COVID-19, less than a fifth of the number of deaths we usually see from influenza/pneumonia each year.
Sources:
https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P03093/P030932016.pdf
https://www.businessinsider.co.za/lockdown-is-curbing-sas-flu-season-2020-5
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/south-africa/
https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/countries/southafrica/what/influenza.htm
