The 2022-2023 flu is proving to be more ‘bad’ than that of previous years. Between 7 and 13 November, cases are increasing especially among children under 5 years of age, with an incidence almost three times the total, and “the epidemic curve of flu-like syndromes shows values above the epidemic threshold and higher than those recorded in recent seasons”. And the photograph taken by the latest bulletin of the InfluNet sentinel network of doctors, updated by the Higher Institute of Health. “The circulation of influenza viruses is intensifying – indicates the report – even if other respiratory viruses have also contributed to the increase in the number of influenza-like syndromes in these first weeks of surveillance”.
In the period analysed, the estimated cases of flu-like syndromes in relation to the entire Italian population are around 388,000, for a total of around 1,180,000 compatriots already infected from the start of surveillance. In the 45th week of 2022, the overall incidence was 6.57 cases per thousand assisted (4.8 per thousand the previous week). In the 0-4 age group the incidence is equal to 19.64 cases per thousand assisted; from 5 to 14 years it is 9.27 cases/thousand; from 15 to 64 years it is 5.85/one thousand and from 65 years of age it is 3.48/one thousand.
“All the regions, among those that have activated surveillance – reads the bulletin – have exceeded the baseline” epidemic threshold, “except Molise, Basilicata and Valle d’Aosta. In Lombardy and Umbria, the incidence of flu-like syndromes has reached the level of medium size”. Campania, Calabria and Sardinia have not yet activated InfluNet surveillance.