As temperatures drop during the cool season, children, infants and the elderly should take extra measures to ward off common seasonal illnesses, officials from the Ministry of Health said on Wednesday.

In a press release issued by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization’s Cambodia offices, viral respiratory illnesses like influenza, strep throat and stomach bugs, are listed as among the most commonly spread illnesses.

“Seek medical treatment in a public health facility if you have difficulty breathing, fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches,” the release advises.

Children and the elderly are advised to bundle up, avoid interacting with the sick, practise personal hygiene and refrain from travelling if ill.

Hing Phan Sakunthea, director of the Ratanakkiri Provincial Referral Hospital has seen a rise in patients at the hospital since the temperature dipped in the early days of December, he told the Post yesterday.

“The number of patients has increased by about 10 per cent since the beginning of December when compared with the number of patients we see with a cold and sore throat during the hot season,” he said, adding that many of the illnesses are not serious and usually are limited to minor symptoms including a sore throat or the common cold.

The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology is projecting even colder weather this weekend, with temperatures dipping as low as 21°C in Phnom Penh.

An advisory posted on the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology website warns of a cool air current expected to hit the northern region of Cambodia today and Saturday.