European countries, particularly Spain and Italy, are seeing a sharp rise in the number of people infected with the respiratory disease.
Many local news agencies have reported a shortage of hospital beds and overflowing medical facilities.
Influenza infections across the continent are currently the biggest concern. The impact of the disease on health systems is further exacerbated by the increasing number of coronavirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections.
Potential ‘three co-infections’ in Europe, plus swine flu
Other parts of the continent, including Germany and the United Kingdom, have seen sharp rises in cases of three illnesses in recent weeks: coronavirus, respiratory syncytial virus and influenza.
Many countries in Central and Eastern Europe have also reported an increase in respiratory illnesses in the last weeks of 2023.
“Almost 10,000 deaths from COVID-19 were reported to the WHO in December, mainly in Europe and the United States, with hospitalizations increasing by 42% and hospitalizations increasing by 62%. [intensive care unit] Hospitalizations compared to November,” said World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said the incidence of influenza-like respiratory illness in the community is still increasing in most European countries. “Primary care practice visits have increased since September, following relatively low respiratory disease activity over the summer,” the association said in a December press release.
The proportion of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases receiving second-line treatment is at the same level as the same period last year, and is now significantly increasing in some countries.
Influenza cases surge in late December
The proportion of people tested who had influenza had increased from 19% in mid-December to nearly 25% by the end of the year.
Ten European countries, including Italy and Spain, have reported seasonal influenza activity with test positivity rates exceeding 10% in sentinel primary care.
However, the ECDC said this number could be influenced by the year-end holiday season and could not reveal the true picture, noting that fewer people were tested during the holiday season. did.
The sharp increase in infections may also be due to large gatherings during Christmas and other festive events, which are common in Spain. ECDC announced that both influenza types A and B were detected.
Swine flu alert in Italy
Italy recorded two flu-related deaths in the northeastern city of Vicenza in early January. Doctors suspect these deaths were caused by an outbreak of swine flu, also known as H1N1 influenza.
Three other patients are in intensive care due to complications caused by the disease, including interstitial pneumonia. Local health authorities in Vicenza have urged people to get vaccinated against swine flu.
Swine flu is just the latest addition to the existing stress on Italy’s public health system. Italy’s National Institute of Health estimates that around 2 million people were infected with coronavirus, respiratory syncytial virus or influenza in the last two weeks of 2023.
In January, ambulances could be seen lining up outside hospitals in Rome. Medical centers in cities such as Milan and Turin were overcrowded, with patients waiting for beds.
Spain reinstates masks in medical centers
Spain’s Health Minister Monica García has made it compulsory for everyone to wear masks in medical centers across the country.
”[We have to] “It’s common sense to protect the most vulnerable,” Garcia told reporters.
Some hospitals in Spain are also struggling to cope with the influx of new patients.
The government said restrictions could be lifted if infection rates continue to decline for two weeks. However, it is worth noting that Spain was one of the last countries to lift mask regulations during the coronavirus pandemic.
Data for this article was collected and visualized by Eva Höppner and Hermann Wirt from DW Data.
Editor: Zulfikar Abani