L‘influenza runs like it hasn’t happened since the 2009-2010 season, the year of the swine flu pandemic. According to the latest data from the InfluNet surveillance network of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, in the past week 771 thousand Italians were put to bed by flu-like syndromes, equal to 12.9 per thousand.
Influenza and Covid, alert in hospitals in Rome. “400 children assisted a day at the Bambino Gesù”
Children among the most affected
More than 2.5 million have contracted the infection since the start of the season. To reach this number, last year we had to wait until the beginning of January. Children under the age of 5 are particularly affected: in this age group last week there were 40.8 cases per thousand; in the 5-14 age group the rate was 25.02 per thousand; 10.10 between 15 and 64 years and 5.04 over 65 years.
🤒 Online new #Influnet. In the last week:
📌 cases of flu-like syndromes are still significantly increasing: 12.9 cases per thousand
📌 they grow in all ages, most affected under 5 with 40,8 cases per thousand
📌 flu virus circulation intensifies https://t.co/3mYUrBVZxq pic.twitter.com/35FIkm93kB— Higher Institute of Health (@istsupsan) December 2, 2022
regions at risk
There are six Regions in which the season has already reached an intensity considered high or very high: Emilia Romagna (20.24 cases per thousand), Umbria (19.61), Lombardy (17.80), Veneto (16.43 ), Autonomous Province of Bolzano (16.09), Marche (15.58). The circulation of influenza viruses is also intensifying: of the 717 samples analyzed by the laboratories belonging to the InfluNet network, 275 (38.3%) were positive for the influenza virus. All but one are type A, especially A/H3N2. Instead, only 4% of the sample tested positive for SarsCov2.