It is likely that this year the active circulation of the influenza virus in Russia will begin in mid-autumn, and not in December, as last year, Natalya Pshenichnaya, deputy director for clinical and analytical work of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, told Izvestia.
The expert came to such conclusions on the basis of data from Australia. In the Southern Hemisphere, the influenza season typically runs from June to October, and the pattern of flu is then typically repeated north of the equator, where the virus traditionally circulates actively from November to April.
“If we extrapolate the epidemiological situation in Australia to the Northern Hemisphere, then we can assume that our flu season will start earlier than usual,” said Natalya Pshenichnaya.
As the specialist explained, in Australia, the incidence of influenza has increased significantly since mid-April. The decline only started in July. Although the situation in Australia has now returned to normal, in general, the influenza season on this continent began earlier. According to official statistics, the peak of the number of cases of influenza in Australia occurred at the beginning of June and amounted to about 29 thousand infected. For comparison: in the pre-pandemic 2019, the maximum number of patients was reached in July, and it did not exceed 20 thousand patients.
Read more in the exclusive Izvestia article:
Sneeze between the lines: doctors predicted the early start of the flu season
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