“Thank goodness it was reached the peak of the flubecause if the cases continued to grow, the health service would blow up.” This is what Matteo Bassetti, director of infectious diseases at the Policlinico San Martino hospital in Genoa, told Adnkronos Salute, commenting on the weekly report from the Higher Institute of Health on influenza. .
“We are in a plateau phase, but a very high one and this doesn't make us very calm” says Bassetti. “Just having reached the peak is good, but now there will be a stabilization phase and we are not out of the circulation of influenza viruses. It will take some time to return to normal pressure on emergency rooms.”
The numbers on hospitalizations
In the last week, the 52nd from December 25th to 31st, I am “the number of cases of flu-like syndromes in Italy is clearly decreasing, but still in the high intensity range“. “In the first week of 2024, in fact, the incidence dropped to 16.5 cases per thousand assisted, while in the previous week the peak was reached with 18.3. The proportion of flu-positive samples out of the total samples analyzed also fell (34% versus 46%)” we read in the RespiVirNet surveillance bulletins published today. “In the last week, the estimated cases of flu-like syndrome, compared to entire Italian population, there are approximately 1,027,000 (they were 1,042,200 seven days before) for a total of approximately 6,719,000 cases since the start of surveillance”.
“Both the epidemiological and microbiological data seem to indicate that we are passing the peak, even if a sustained circulation is highly probable also in the coming weeks, facilitated by the reopening of schools – comments Anna Teresa Palamara, who directs the Infectious Diseases department of the ISS -. We therefore continue to recommend vaccinations for the people most at risk, still useful in view of the 'tail' of the season which will still last several weeks, and healthy prudence in behavior. The recommendation not to take antibiotics, which are useless in case of infections, remains valid. viral infections, unless advised by your doctor, and to go to the emergency room only if strictly necessary”.
The incidence is slightly increasing only in children under five years of age where the incidence is equal to 48.7 cases per thousand assisted (47.5 in the previous week), stable in adults and the elderly. All the Regions and autonomous provinces, among those that have activated surveillance, record an incidence level of flu-like syndromes above the baseline threshold, except the province of Bolzano. In five Regions the threshold of 'very high' intensity of incidence was reached (Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Tuscany, Umbria, Abruzzo, Campania). “Although it is always difficult to make predictions on the progress of the season, such a clear decline suggests that the peak has been reached – states Antonino Bella, head of RespiVirNet epidemiological surveillance and editor of the epidemiological bulletin -. However, upward fluctuations are possible ', especially in children, favored by the reopening of schools.”
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