WHO warns about spread of respitatory viruses
The European regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO) warned Tuesday of the increase in flu cases in recent weeks in several countries and of the hospital pressure created, which could increase.
“We are concerned about reports of localized pressure in hospitals and overcrowding in emergencies, due to the confluence of respiratory viruses that are circulating,” the WHO director for Europe, Hans Kluge, said at a press conference.
In the European region, which comprises 53 countries and includes Russia and several former Soviet republics, flu hospitalizations have increased by 58% in the last two weeks compared to the previous two, and intensive care admissions by 21%.
The most affected groups are those over 65 years of age and young children.
“We see a high intensity of flu infections in several countries in the region. Health systems must be ready for a likely increase in flu cases in the coming weeks,” Kluge said.
Kluge highlighted that apart from the flu and COVID-19, the human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has also converged in these weeks, in addition to other pathogens such as microplasmas and measles, which have especially affected children.
“RSV rates peaked before the New Year and are now falling, Covid-19 rates continue to be high but declining, and flu rates are growing rapidly,” said Kluge.
He stressed the importance of closely monitoring the evolution of influenza and other respiratory viruses. He criticized that 13 countries in the region did not provide data on them last week.
