Key Takeaways
- In Poza Rica, Veracruz, Mexico (North America), a spike in colds and flu-like illness in early January 2026 can fit normal seasonal virus patterns, especially when people gather indoors.
- Floods do not “release flu viruses into the air,” but they can raise respiratory symptoms in another way: damp buildings and mold can irritate the nose, throat, and lungs.
- Missed trash collection does not create flu viruses, yet it can worsen health risks by attracting rodents, blocking drains, and increasing standing water that supports mosquitoes and other hazards.
- A dry cough and a phlegm cough can both happen with viral illness; the cough type alone does not prove the cause, but it can help guide attention to red flags and timing.
Story & Details
The scene in early January
On January 3, 2026, Poza Rica sits in warm, humid air. Around 5:14 pm local time, it is 12:14 am in the Netherlands (Europe). Weather services describe hazy sunshine, humidity, and air that can feel irritating to some people. [1]
In that kind of weather, many people notice coughs. Some are short and dry, like a scratch in the throat. Others bring up phlegm. In the community, the feeling is that “there are more colds and more flu than usual,” and the mind goes back to a hard moment that is still close in memory.
The October flood and what it can change
In October 2025, intense rains and flooding hit parts of Mexico (North America), including Poza Rica, where the Cazones River overflowed and streets filled with water. Major news coverage described widespread damage and difficult cleanup conditions. [2] [3]
After floods, one health story often follows quietly: moisture stays inside walls, floors, and furniture. Mold can then grow, sometimes for weeks or months. Mold is not a virus. It does not cause influenza. But mold can trigger allergies and can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs. For a person with asthma, it can also trigger attacks. This can look like “everyone is sick,” because many people feel cough, throat irritation, and chest discomfort. [4] [5]
That is the strongest scientific link between flooding and more respiratory complaints: not new “flu germs in the air,” but more dampness, more mold, and more irritants during cleanup.
What spreads colds and flu
Influenza spreads mainly from person to person, especially through droplets made when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Surfaces can play a role too, but the main driver is close contact. This matters because it points away from floodwater as a direct source of flu waves. Even if a flood happened months ago, a winter rise in influenza-like illness can still occur because people are closer together and the virus moves fast through families, schools, and workplaces. [6]
Local public health messaging in Veracruz also matches that frame. In December 2025, the Veracruz health authority warned about influenza A(H3N2) circulating and emphasized familiar steps like vaccination, hand hygiene, masking in closed spaces, and staying home when sick. [7]
What missed trash collection can and cannot do
Trash does not “make flu.” Flu is not born in garbage piles. But poor waste collection can still raise health risks in real ways. When trash piles up, it can block drains and support standing water. Standing water and water stored in containers can help mosquitoes breed. Rodents can also be drawn to food waste, and they can spread other infections after floods. The World Health Organization notes that poor waste collection can contribute to contamination and can favor certain water- and vector-related diseases, especially when it helps create standing water. [8] Public health guidance also highlights rodent control and careful contact with floodwater because some infections become more likely in the weeks after flooding. [9] The Veracruz health authority described sanitation actions and mosquito control in affected northern areas after the floods, including work aimed at Aedes aegypti, the mosquito linked to dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. [10] [11]
So, the trash concern is not “wrong,” but the main target is different. The most direct link is not flu viruses. It is a mix of pests, standing water, and environmental exposure that can add stress to health.
The short question that keeps coming up: “PAHO?”
PAHO is the Pan American Health Organization. It is the regional office for the Americas of the World Health Organization. Its disaster guidance explains a common pattern: right after a storm, some breeding sites can be destroyed, yet a few weeks later risk can shift if people must store water in containers, which can become ideal mosquito breeding places. That pattern fits many post-disaster settings, including humid regions where standing water is common. [11]
Dry cough or phlegm cough
A dry cough can feel tickly and can come with colds, flu, allergies, or irritants. A “chesty” cough that brings up phlegm can also happen with viral infections and can be common in acute bronchitis. Many coughs improve within about three weeks, but a cough that lasts longer, gets worse, or comes with serious warning signs deserves medical attention. [12] [13] [14]
In a post-flood setting, this is the practical point: cough type can hint at what is happening, but it does not prove the cause. The bigger clues are the pattern in the community, how fast symptoms spread between people, and whether a home or workplace smells damp or shows visible mold.
Conclusions
In early January 2026, a rise in coughs and flu-like illness in Poza Rica can be explained without a single dramatic cause. Seasonal respiratory viruses spread person to person and can surge when contact is close. Floods do not release influenza into the air, yet floods can leave damp buildings and mold that irritate the airways and make many people feel unwell at the same time. Meanwhile, missed trash collection does not create flu, but it can still raise risk through pests, blocked drainage, and standing water that supports mosquitoes and other problems.
The cleanest way to hold these ideas together is simple: viral illness spreads through people, while environmental stress after a flood can amplify symptoms and vulnerability. In a warm, humid, hazy week, that blend can feel like a single wave.
Selected References
[1] AccuWeather: Poza Rica de Hidalgo, Veracruz, Mexico (North America) forecast. https://www.accuweather.com/en/mx/poza-rica-de-hidalgo/236232/weather-forecast/236232
[2] Reuters: Heavy rains in Mexico (North America) leave nearly thirty dead; Poza Rica flooded after the Cazones River overflowed. https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/heavy-rains-mexico-leave-more-than-20-dead-2025-10-10/
[3] AP News: Heavy rain in Mexico (North America) sets off floods; Poza Rica described with major damage. https://apnews.com/article/3ade24258fd08b2f13092157a37874bc
[4] US Environmental Protection Agency, United States (North America): Mold and health. https://www.epa.gov/mold/mold-and-health
[5] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States (North America): Mold clean up guidelines and recommendations. https://www.cdc.gov/mold-health/about/clean-up.html
[6] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States (North America): How flu spreads. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/spread/index.html
[7] Veracruz Health Secretariat: Public warning about influenza A(H3N2) circulating in December 2025. https://www.ssaver.gob.mx/blog/2025/12/16/atencion-la-influenza-a-h3n2-se-puede-encontrar-circulando-en-el-ambiente/
[8] World Health Organization: Guidance on solid waste and health. https://www.who.int/tools/compendium-on-health-and-environment/solid-waste
[9] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States (North America): Preventing leptospirosis after flooding. https://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis/prevention/index.html
[10] Veracruz Health Secretariat: Sanitation and epidemiologic surveillance actions in northern Veracruz after flooding. https://www.ssaver.gob.mx/blog/2025/10/25/secretaria-de-salud-refuerza-vigilancia-epidemiologica-y-acciones-de-saneamiento-en-el-norte-de-veracruz/
[11] Pan American Health Organization: Vector control in disaster situations. https://www.paho.org/en/health-emergencies/vector-control-disaster-situations
[12] NHS inform, United Kingdom (Europe): Cough guidance, including dry versus chesty cough. https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/lungs-and-airways/cough/
[13] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States (North America): Chest cold (acute bronchitis) basics. https://www.cdc.gov/acute-bronchitis/about/index.html
[14] CDC video, United States (North America): Reduce your risk for flu. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hL-A0FFoec
Appendix
Aedes aegypti: A mosquito that can spread dengue, Zika, and chikungunya; it often breeds in containers that hold clean standing water, which can become more common when people store water after storms.
Acute bronchitis: A short-term infection or irritation of the airways that often causes cough with or without mucus and usually improves within weeks.
Airway irritation: Inflammation or sensitivity in the nose, throat, or lungs caused by irritants such as dust, smoke, or mold particles, which can lead to cough even without a viral infection.
Droplets: Small wet particles released when someone coughs, sneezes, or talks; they can carry viruses and infect people nearby.
Dutch mini-lesson: A practical way to ask about time and symptoms uses short, common phrases: “Hoe laat is het?” with word-by-word gloss Hoe = how, laat = late, is = is, het = it; and “Ik heb een droge hoest” with word-by-word gloss Ik = I, heb = have, een = a, droge = dry, hoest = cough; these phrases sound neutral and everyday.
H3N2: A subtype of influenza A that can cause seasonal flu outbreaks; risk is higher for older adults, pregnant people, and those with chronic disease.
Haze: A light veil in the air, often from humidity and particles; it can make breathing feel harder for sensitive people and can worsen throat irritation.
Influenza: A contagious respiratory illness often called “flu,” caused by influenza viruses; it can spread quickly and can cause fever, aches, and a strong cough.
Leptospirosis: A disease caused by bacteria that can be spread through water or soil contaminated by urine from infected animals, with risk sometimes higher after floods.
Mold: A type of fungus that grows in damp places; it can trigger allergies and can irritate the lungs, nose, throat, eyes, and skin.
PAHO: The Pan American Health Organization, the health agency for the Americas that also serves as the regional office for the World Health Organization.
Seasonality: A pattern where some illnesses rise at certain times of the year, often linked to human behavior, weather, and how easily germs move between people.
Standing water: Water that remains in puddles, drains, or containers; it can support mosquito breeding and can raise vector-related risks.
Vector: An animal, often an insect like a mosquito, that can carry germs from one host to another.
Waste collection: The regular removal of household trash; when it fails, drains can block and pests can increase, which can raise health risks even if it does not create respiratory viruses.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 