The positivity for SARS-CoV-2 in the community remains at the same levels as last week and flu activity is also at low levels, according to the epidemiological report of EODY for the period 11-17 November.

Influenza-like illness – ILI (irrespective of pathogen): The number of cases of influenza-like illness per 1,000 visits is low.

Severe Acute Respiratory Infection – SARI (regardless of pathogen): The number of SARI cases per 1,000 visits is low.

SARS-CoV-2 virus – COVID-19 infection: The positivity of all tested samples remained at the same levels compared to the previous week. There was no significant change in the number of new imports compared to the previous week. There were 531 new admissions, while the average weekly number of new admissions over the previous 4 weeks was 551. The number of new intubations was seven. The average weekly number of new intubations during the previous 4 weeks was ten.

The number of intubated patients with COVID-19 infection is 24. The number of deaths was 27. The average weekly number of deaths in the previous 4 weeks was 22.

From the end of September, the KP.3 sub-variant of BA.2.86 was recognized by the ECDC as a strain of interest, while the XEC sub-variant of BA.2.86 was also put under surveillance. Both KP.3 and XEC have not been associated with an increased risk of severe disease. The strain that continues to dominate detections is KP.3.

Nationally, the weighted viral load in municipal wastewater is at low levels compared to historical data, showing no significant change from the previous week. More specifically, in three of the ten controlled areas the levels of the viral load appear moderate (with a recorded increase compared to the previous week in two of them), while in the remaining areas the levels are low.

Influenza virus: Influenza positivity as assessed by surveillance networks in the community (PHC Sentinel Surveillance Network) and in the hospital setting (SARI Surveillance Network) is very low, with detection of only sporadic positive samples.

No new serious case with ICU hospitalization was recorded, nor was there a death from laboratory-confirmed influenza. Overall, one laboratory-confirmed case with ICU hospitalization (subtype A(H3)) has been recorded since the start of influenza surveillance. No death has been recorded.

Respiratory syncytial virus – RSV: No positive samples were found in the community (PHC Sentinel surveillance network), nor in hospitals (SARI surveillance network).