Fifty-seven are the deaths from coronavirus and 70 the intubated patients in the last week (December 25 – December 31) according to the epidemiological report of EODY on viral infections of the respiratory system showing a significant increase due to the festive season.

She is impressive increase in hospital admissions according to the information note which reaches 44% relative to the average weekly number of admissions over the previous 4 weeks.

There was also an increase in the number of intubated patients in relation to the average weekly number of new intubations during the previous 4 weeks.

At the same time, they were detected in our country and 179 cases of the JN.1 variant

They are increased and flu cases with the positivity remaining above 10% showing an upward trend. According to EODY, they were recorded 8 new serious cases where judged hospitalization in ICU is necessary, while 3 new deaths were recorded.

The EODY report in detail

Influenza syndromes (regardless of pathogen)

✓ The number of influenza cases per 1,000 visits showed a significant increase compared to the previous week

SARS-CoV2 virus – COVID-19 infection

✓ The positivity in all tested samples showed a significant increase compared to the previous week.

✓ The number of admissions (n=1,818) showed a 44% increase over the average weekly admissions over the previous 4 weeks (n=1,259) and was higher than the number of admissions in the corresponding week of 2022 (n=1,519).

✓ The number of new intubations (n=31) showed an increase compared to the average weekly number of new intubations over the previous 4 weeks (n=24) and was lower than the number of intubations in the corresponding week of 2022 (n=60).

✓ The number of intubated patients with COVID-19 infection is 70.

✓ 57 deaths were recorded with a median age of 84 years (range 67-102 years). The number of deaths was down from the average weekly number of deaths in the previous 4 weeks (n=59) and was lower than the number of deaths in the corresponding week in 2022 (n=154)

✓ In week 49, h most frequent sub-variant of BA.2 was EG.5 (40%) followed by BA.2.86 (38%) and XBB.1.5 (14%).

✓ A total of 179 strains of JN.1 have been detected in our country (sub-variant of BA.2.86 which as of 12/19 was recognized as a sub-variant of epidemiological interest), with sample collection date from 3/10 to 8/12. The additional risk to public health from JN.1 is currently assessed as low internationally.

✓ Viral load surveillance in municipal wastewater showed increased circulation of SARS-CoV-2 virus in 6 of the 9 areas checked.

Influenza virus

✓ Influenza positivity in the community (sentinel network) remains above 10% (seasonal threshold for the initiation of epidemic influenza activity according to ECDC) and shows an increasing trend.

✓ 8 new serious cases with hospitalization in ICU were recorded, while 3 new deaths from laboratory-confirmed influenza were recorded.

✓ From week 40/2023 to week 52/2023 29 people with laboratory-confirmed influenza were hospitalized in the ICU and 8 deaths from laboratory-confirmed influenza were recorded.

✓ From week 40/2023 to week 52/2023 a total of 113 positive samples for influenza have been detected (9%). 112 samples have been standardized in the two influenza reference centers: 110 type A and 2 type B.

✓ Of the 93 type A strains subtyped, 15 (16%) belonged to subtype A(H3) and 78 (84%) to subtype A(H1)pdm09.

Respiratory syncytial virus – RSV

✓ The RSV positivity in sentinel PPH samples showed an increase compared to the previous week.