There was an increase in positivity for SARS-CoV2 and for influenza, as well as cases of influenza, according to the epidemiological report of the EODY for the period 25-31 March.

Influenza-like illness – ILI (regardless of pathogen)

The number of influenza cases per 1,000 visits showed an increase compared to the previous week.

Severe Acute Respiratory Infection – SARI (regardless of pathogen)

The number of SARI cases per 1,000 visits remained the same as last week.

SARS-CoV2 virus – COVID-19 infection

The positivity in all tested samples showed an increase compared to the previous week.

The number of admissions (n=79) showed a decrease compared to the average weekly number of admissions in the previous 4 weeks (n=146) and was lower than the number of admissions in the corresponding week of 2023 (n=667)

One new intubation was recorded. The average weekly number of new intubations over the previous 4 weeks was 2 and the number of intubations in the corresponding week of 2023 was 15.

The number of intubated patients with COVID-19 infection is 12.

There were 8 deaths with a median age of 85 years (range 63-94 years). The number of deaths showed a decrease compared to the average weekly number of deaths in the previous 4 weeks (n=11) and was lower than the number of deaths in the corresponding week in 2023 (n=50).

The most common sub-variant of BA.2 remains JN.1.

Viral load surveillance in municipal wastewater showed a reduction in SARS-CoV-2 virus circulation in 6 of the 8 areas tested.

Influenza virus

Influenza positivity in the community (sentinel network) remains above 10% (seasonal threshold for initiation of epidemic influenza activity according to ECDC) and showed an increase compared to the previous week.

The positivity of SARI samples also showed an increase compared to the previous week.

Two new serious cases with hospitalization in ICU and one new death from laboratory-confirmed influenza were recorded.

A total of 136 people with laboratory-confirmed influenza have been hospitalized in the ICU since the beginning of influenza surveillance, and 67 deaths from laboratory-confirmed influenza have been recorded.

΄775 influenza strains (from community sentinel samples, from SARI surveillance samples and from hospital samples outside surveillance networks) were typed, of which 541 (70%) were type A and 234 (30%) type B.

In total, 521 A-type strains have been subtyped in the two Influenza Reference Centers. 482 (92.5%) belonged to the A(H1)pdm09 subtype and 39 (7.5%) to the A(H3) subtype.

Respiratory syncytial virus – RSV

RSV positivity remains low in the community (Sentinel PHY network), and in hospitals (SARI surveillance network).