Deaths from covid-19 are decreasing, while the number of admissions is increasing, according to the epidemiological report of EODY for the week of 27 November 2023 – 03 December 2023 for viral infections of the respiratory system (SARS-CoV-2, viruses
flu and respiratory syncytial virus – RSV) in our country.

Influenza syndromes (regardless of pathogen)

✓ The number of influenza cases per 1,000 visits despite being at low levels
shows an increasing trend, especially in the 15-64 age group

SARS-CoV2 virus – COVID-19 infection

✓ the positivity in all the tested samples showed an increase compared to the previous one
week
✓ the number of admissions (n=991) showed a 24% increase compared to the average weekly number
imports in the previous 4 weeks and was lower than the number of imports on
corresponding week of 2022
✓ the number of new intubations (n=21) showed a slight decrease compared to the weekly average
number of new intubations during the previous 4 weeks (n=22) and was lower than
number of intubations in the corresponding week of 2022
✓ the number of patients with COVID-19 infection who are hospitalized with intubation is 54
✓ 44 deaths were recorded with a median age of 85 years (range 34-97 years). The number of deaths
showed a decrease compared to the average weekly number of deaths in the previous 4 weeks
(n=48) and was lower than the number of deaths in the corresponding week of 2022
✓ at week 45, the most frequent BA.2 sub-variant was EG.5 (38%) followed by XBB.1.5
(30%) and XBB.1.16 (12%)
✓ surveillance of the viral load in municipal wastewater showed an increase in the circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in 5
of the 9 areas checked

Influenza virus

✓ positivity for influenza in the community (sentinel network) exceeded the 10% threshold which is indicative
seasonal threshold of onset of epidemic influenza activity according to ECDC
✓ 2 new serious cases with hospitalization in ICU were recorded, while no new death was recorded from
laboratory confirmed influenza. A severe laboratory case was retrospectively reported
of confirmed influenza with hospitalization in ICU with admission date within week 47/2023.
✓ from week 40/2023 to week 48/2023, 9 people were hospitalized with laboratory
confirmed influenza in the ICU and 4 deaths from laboratory-confirmed influenza were recorded
✓ in the two influenza reference centers have been recorded from week 40/2023 up to and including week
48/2023, 30 samples positive for influenza viruses (sentinel samples and hospital samples), and
specifically 29 (97%) were type A and one (3%) type B.
✓ of the 29 type A strains that were subtyped, 6 (21%) belonged to the A(H3) subtype and 23 (79%)
in subtype A(H1)pdm09.

Respiratory syncytial virus – RSV

✓ no positive samples were found in the community