The flu is back
After a year in which the flu epidemic was practically absent thanks to a lower intensity of social exchanges and a strong focus on prevention with distancing and masks, this season influenza and parainfluenza viruses are back as protagonists. With the 305,900 new cases registered in the first week of January by the InfluNet epidemiological surveillance network of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (Iss), the number of Italians put to bed by the flu since the beginning of the season has in fact exceeded i 3 million, even if most of the cases are attributable to other respiratory viruses other than influenza, whose circulation is still of the isolated type.
Because of the greater spread of flu-like viruses compared to last season, in addition to the increased circulation of people and the many contacts with friends and relatives, there is less attention to all preventive measures, from distancing to the mask, to hand hygiene. At the moment, the Regions with a higher incidence of flu-like syndromes are Lombardy and Umbria. For now, the most affected segment of the population remains between 0 and 4 years old, although the rate in this range is down from the peak reached in mid-November, when the strong spread of respiratory syncytial virus had also significantly increased the number of sick children. On the other hand, a slight increase in cases is recorded in the other age groups, while the lowest value is found among individuals aged 65 or over, the most vaccinated age group.
Many more infections than last year
Overall, the flu season therefore continues to have a more intense trend than last year but, unlike what was announced last summer, the flu strains in circulation are no more aggressive than those circulating in the 2019-2020 season, the latest in which a seasonal outbreak of flu-like syndromes was observed before the pandemic .
“After a fairly sustained start in November, the flu season now has a trend in line with the other years and at the moment the flu viruses registered in the area seem not to be so powerful as to cause numerous serious cases. This does not mean that attention should not be paid to the development of symptoms of flu viruses, which have never before been confused with other viruses. If you have symptoms, that is why it is good to undergo the swab to remove any doubts. Speaking of this, Flurona should not be underestimated, that is the co-infection of seasonal flu and covid: an uncommon situation, but not impossible either. It goes without saying that, even in this case, those who underwent both influenza and anticovid vaccination in time will have greater coverage against these viruses” – says Prof. Fabrizio Pregliasco, Scientific Director of the Influenza Observatory, Associate Professor of general and applied hygiene at the Virology section of the Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health of the University of Milan and Health Director of IRCCS Galeazzi Orthopedic Institute.
The real peak of the season is yet to come and is expected for the next few weeks in the coldest phase of winter, but it should not lead to a particular increase in the number of cases, also thanks to the renewed use of the Ffp2 masks and other safety measures. “I think we will arrive at 6 or 8 cases per thousand assisted, data decidedly lower than those of the last three seasons before the covid where up to 8-9 million cases were recorded. As in past seasons, the recommended treatment in case of flu is self-medication to alleviate the symptoms without eliminating them. No to antibiotics unless on medical advice, yes to antipyretics instead ” – concludes Professor Pregliasco.