The penultimate week of the year, from December 18 to 24, the trend of increasing acute respiratory infections (ARI) continued in Catalonia. The growth of influenza in the pediatric population stands out compared to the previous week, according to data from the Information System for Infection Surveillance in Catalonia (Sivic). Hospital pressure hardly changes compared to previous records, but consulted specialists predict a collapse after Three Kings due basically to the increase in infections related to the interactions of the Christmas holidays.
The Ministry of Health has issued a series of recommendations in the face of “the resurgence of flu and Covid-19”, among which is “wearing a mask when you have respiratory symptoms”. In addition to the mask, Health insists on hand hygiene with soap and water or hydroalcoholic gel, recommends vaccination against respiratory microorganisms and proposes avoiding, if possible, “going to the workplace with symptoms of illness.” Along the same lines, the Murcia Health Department has recommended the use of masks for the elderly, those with chronic diseases and pregnant women.
After six consecutive weeks of growth in the incidence of respiratory infections, with the expected exception of the break at the Purísima bridge at the beginning of December, last week 71,643 cases of ARI were diagnosed in Catalan primary care centers ( 66,678 the previous week), which means a rate of 909 affected per 100,000 inhabitants, increasingly closer to the high epidemic level (1002.26), and a higher incidence than last year, although much lower than the previous one.
Due to pathologies, the Department of Health indicates that the upward trend of the epidemic wave of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) continues. “The level of incidence of flu is higher than last year and that of RSV is clearly lower,” he points out. Meanwhile, “the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 seems to be stabilizing and related income has decreased.”
Thus, flu is the most frequent source of infections, with 22.6% of the samples, followed by rhinovirus (17.9%), covid (14.6%) and RSV (13.2%). . 10,077 cases of flu have been registered, a third more than the previous week. The growth of this disease among the pediatric population stands out. In one week, its incidence has doubled in the 0 to 4 year old age group (from 449 to 992 in the last week analyzed) and has increased even more in the 5 to 14 year old age group (from 623 to 1,413). As in adults, influenza is the most circulating virus among children, with 42% of infections, with RSV in second place (18.8%). With two flu peaks, last season was atypical. The first occurred in week 51, the penultimate week of the year, with 8,419 diagnoses. In the current season, 10,077 diagnoses have been recorded and the curve, very pronounced, does not give the impression of having reached its maximum (last season it fell between now and until the third week of the year before undertaking a new and strong rise).
Salut experts predicted the maximum circulation of respiratory viruses for mid-December, but the curve has not yet bent. Although the behavior of the different types is becoming clearer, with the flu predominant and the covid in a stable situation, which has resulted in a decrease in income. Primary care detected 6,108 cases last week (6,058 the previous week), with the sectors 15-44 years old (1,990) and 45-59 years old (1,744) being the most affected. The Covid situation is very similar to that of last season at this time, with 13 admitted to the ICU (the same number as the previous week) and a decrease in the number of those admitted to the ward: 571 compared to 544 in the previous week. preceding count.
The rise of influenza, the stability of SARS-CoV-2 and the downward trend of RSV reduce the chances of triple circulation occurring, a fact for which there is no precedent. The normal thing, as is happening, is that one type (the flu, currently) clearly prevails over the other respiratory viruses.
On the other hand, the number of pneumonias diagnosed in primary care exceeds the Department of Health’s forecasts, higher than expected.
The behavior of temperatures also influences the situation of hospital emergencies to be within tolerable limits in general, similar to that of other years around this time, point out sources from the centers. (Hospital pressure systematically drops during festive periods).
But the clearly ascending dynamics of viruses such as the flu, the interactions that occur during the holidays and the possible arrival of the cold worry the professionals consulted. They talk about a probable collapse of the emergency and outpatient clinics right after Three Kings.