20 Myths and facts about cold and flu

Myth : ‘I can’t die from the flu.’
In some cases, the flu can become dangerous – particularly for elderly people, young children, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems.The flu can turn deadly if someone suffers from a complication – for example, if they develop bacterial pneumonia, a sinus infection, dehydration or it worsens an existing chronic condition such as asthma, congestive heart failure or diabetes. According to the WHO, flu causes between 250 000 and 500 000 deaths annually.