Influenza, an increase in patients with severe non-Covid pneumonia who end up in intensive care

“The decline in Covid hospitalizations is now confirmed, but the pressure on hospitals shows no sign of decreasing due to the flu. Unfortunately we are seeing severe pneumonia not due to Covid infection, but to the consequences of the flu also in intensive care”. This was underlined by Giovanni Migliore, president of Fiaso (Italian Federation of healthcare and hospital companies), commenting on the latest weekly report on Covid hospitalizations. “We must still be cautious – he recommends – because in the coming weeks we will also see the effects of the reopening of schools”.

Anesthetists explain that cases ending up in intensive care are increasing. “We have a significantly discrete increase in non-Covid viral pneumonia in intensive care, an increase that is putting the number of Covid cases hospitalized in the wards in the minority. These non-Covid viral pneumonias are linked to the greater impact of influenza on a population less covered by the vaccine. In the vast majority, those who enter intensive care with this clinical picture of non-Covid pneumonia have a positive outcome and are discharged from intensive care. It is clear, however, that this resurgence is creating quite a few problems for the emergency rooms which find themselves clogged with moderately serious cases”, Alessandro Vergallo, president of the Aaroi-Emac anesthetists and resuscitators union, tells Adnkronos Salute, commenting on the Fiaso report which highlights like “Covid leaves room for the flu”, but “the pressure on hospitals shows no sign of decreasing” and “patients with severe viral pneumonia” end up in intensive care.

According to Vergallo “we have focused with greater attention on the Covid vaccination which, although it did not lead to massive participation, has however distracted especially in the over 65 group from the flu vaccination. Let's say – he concludes – that the poor participation in the first one has I acted reflexively on the second one too, or at least that's what we clinicians saw.”