Viral illnesses tend to cause severe symptoms when the immune system isn’t well-equipped to fight off pathogens and viruses naturally, which can happen to those who are 65 and older, or have limitations which compromise their immune functioning. Over an age, immune strength starts to wane and weaken down, which can make infection cases severe and complication risk double up. Suffering from pre-existing, chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, autoimmune conditions or high blood pressure, cholesterol levels (which are also more common in older ages) can also add to the risk threshold.

Studies conducted over the years have also found that older adults, particularly men are less likely to report or notice symptoms pertaining to the flu, and hence, increase their risk of severity.

In particular,here are some flu and serious viral illness symptoms which need to be monitored well: