Hospitals and Emergency Rooms Stressed as Flu Cases Rise
As the new year begins, hospitals and emergency rooms are facing increased stress, particularly from flu-related cases. While hospitalizations from Covid continue to fall, the most worrying trend is the rise in serious flu cases, often accompanied by pneumonia, even among younger individuals.
According to data from the sentinel hospitals of the Federation of Health Companies (Fiaso), the elderly and frail individuals remain at a greater risk for both infections, leading to crowded emergency facilities and waiting times for hospitalization. Infectious disease specialists are emphasizing the importance of vaccinations, particularly in the current phase.
The overall Covid hospitalization index is decreasing, with a 16% decrease in the last week of 2023, as reported by Fiaso. Though the numbers remain low in intensive care, there is a significant increase due to the long-term repercussions of recent infections among the population. The average age of patients requiring hospitalization is 68 years, with 93% already suffering from other pathologies.
The president of Fiaso, Giovanni Migliore, notes that Covid is giving way to the flu, with flu viruses having a greater impact on the elderly and frail population. Even as 70% of ordinary hospitalizations are represented by Covid-positive patients without serious respiratory infections, they must be isolated to prevent the spread of infection to other fragile subjects.
Experts are also alarmed by the greater impact of heavy flu forms on the younger population this year. Marco Falcone, director of the infectious diseases department at the Pisan university hospital, emphasizes the higher pathogenicity of this year’s flu, leading to more hospitalizations for pneumonia in healthy and young patients.
The reasons for the particularly severe forms of flu are not yet clear, but it is speculated to be due to a decline in immunity to influenza viruses after two years of the pandemic or to more aggressive viral variants. Additionally, doctors are observing a form of exhaustion that lasts for some time after the flu infection, similar to long-Covid.
The unsatisfactory vaccination coverage this year is also contributing to the problems. Fausto De Michele, director of Pneumology Department 1 at the Cardarelli Hospital in Naples, warns of the general refusal of the Covid vaccine, which has spread to the flu vaccine, creating enormous problems for unvaccinated elderly people. To encourage vaccinations, Open days for anti-Covid vaccination are scheduled in various regions, with the aim of reaching all individuals aged 18 and older.
As the flu season continues, the importance of vaccinations and precautionary measures cannot be stressed enough to curb the impact of both Covid and flu on the population.