Respiratory Infections Rise in Spain, But Flu Cases Continue to Fall
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Spain is experiencing a rebound in acute respiratory infections (IRAs), with rates climbing to 606.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants during the week of January 5th to 11th. However, surprisingly, this increase is not driven by influenza, which continues on a downward trend.
IRA Rates Show Unexpected Increase
The 9.6% jump in IRA cases – up from 553.6 infections per 100,000 – marks a shift after two weeks of decline, according to a report released this Thursday by the carlos III Health Institute (ISC III) through its Acute Respiratory Infection Surveillance System (Sivira). This uptick is prompting public health officials to closely monitor the situation.
Flu Cases Continue to Decline
Despite the overall rise in IRAs, influenza cases are decreasing. The rate currently stands at 178.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, a 14.4% decrease from the previous week. This suggests other viruses are contributing to the recent increase in respiratory illnesses.
COVID-19, Bronchitis & RSV Trends
The circulation of COVID-19, bronchitis, and bronchiolitis – notably in children under five – remains at “low” intensity, although case numbers remain above epidemic thresholds.
Here’s a breakdown of the latest data:
- COVID-19: The rate stands at 2.3 cases per 100,000, a 9.5% increase from the previous week.
- Bronchitis & Bronchiolitis: Cases in children under five have decreased by 6.5% to 280.4 cases per 100,000.
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV): Positivity rates for RSV are rising, currently at 14.2% compared to 11.2% the previous week.
Positivity Rates Across Viruses
Current positivity rates offer further insight into the circulating viruses:
- Influenza: 28.8% (down from 34.9% the previous week)
- SARS-CoV-2: 1.2% (up from 0.4% the previous week)
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV): 14.2% (up from 11.2% the previous week)
Hospitalizations Show Overall Reduction
Despite the increase in overall respiratory infections, hospitalizations are trending downward.The hospitalization rate for severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) has decreased by 14.1% to 22.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
A closer look at hospitalization rates for specific viruses reveals:
- Influenza: Hospitalization rate down to 8.1 cases per 100,000. As the beginning of the season, 20.7% of hospitalized flu cases have presented with pneumonia,4.7% required ICU admission, and 4.5% resulted in fatality.
- COVID-19: Hospitalization rate remains low at 0.2 cases per 100,000. Hospitalized COVID-19 cases have shown 24.1% pneumonia, 4.7% ICU admission, and 10.1% fatality since the season began.
- RSV: Hospitalization rate has dropped to 3.5 cases per 100,000. Hospitalized RSV cases have presented 11.4% pneumonia,9.2% ICU admission, and 1.4% fatality.
Mortality Estimates
Estimates from the daily mortality monitoring model (MoMo) indicate 10,092 deaths were observed in Spain during the second week of 2026, exceeding the expected 9,694 deaths.This suggests a continued, albeit moderate, impact of respiratory illnesses on overall mortality.
the evolving situation underscores the importance of continued vigilance and monitoring of respiratory virus trends in Spain.
