Viral infections of the respiratory system – SARS/CoV-2, influenza viruses and respiratory syncytial virus/RSV show a decrease in positivity. However, at high levels for the season, positivity for influenza in the community is maintained, according to the epidemiological report of the EODY for the period 22-28 April.

Influenza-like illness – ILI (regardless of pathogen)

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

Severe Acute Respiratory Infection – SARI (regardless of pathogen)

The number of SARI cases per 1,000 visits remains low.

SARS-CoV2 virus – COVID-19 infection

The positivity in all tested samples showed a decrease compared to the previous week.

The number of new imports was 83. The average weekly number of imports in the previous 4 weeks was 76 and the number of imports in the corresponding week in 2023 was 732.

The number of new intubations was 3. The average weekly number of new intubations during the previous 4 weeks was 2, and the number of intubations in the corresponding week of 2023 was 16. The number of patients with COVID-19 infection hospitalized with intubation is 9.

One new death was recorded. The number of deaths in the previous 4 weeks was 6 and the number of deaths in the corresponding week of 2023 was 61.

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

Viral load surveillance in municipal wastewater showed a drop in SARS-CoV-2 circulation in 2 of the 8 areas tested, an increase in 3, and a stabilization in 3.

Influenza virus

Influenza positivity in the community (sentinel network) is still above 10% (seasonal threshold for the onset of epidemic influenza activity according to ECDC), showed a decrease compared to the previous week, and remained at seasonally high levels (with prevalence of influenza type B).

SARI sample positivity showed a slight increase compared to the previous week and remains low.

One new serious case with hospitalization in ICU was recorded, while no new death from laboratory-confirmed influenza was recorded.

A total of 143 people with laboratory-confirmed influenza have been hospitalized in the ICU since the beginning of influenza surveillance, and 68 deaths from laboratory-confirmed influenza have been recorded.

966 influenza strains (derived from community sentinel samples, from SARI surveillance samples and from hospital samples outside surveillance networks) were typed, of which 549 (57%) were type A and 417 (43%) were type B.

In recent weeks the predominant type has been B both in the community (PHC Sentinel surveillance network) and in hospitals (SARI surveillance network).

In total, 531 A-type strains have been subtyped in the two Influenza Reference Centers. 489 (92%) belonged to the A(H1)pdm09 subtype and 42 (8%) to the A(H3) subtype.

Respiratory syncytial virus – RSV

RSV positivity remained low in both the community (PHC Sentinel surveillance network) and hospitals (SARI surveillance network).

NOTE: data may be modified by incorporating data declared retroactively