Alarm in Italy: Australia’s version of flu arrives, worst in 10 years

Aussie flu in Italy – New flu threat note Italyafter experts confirmed that the Australian variant of the AH3N2 virus that could lead to one of the worst flu seasons in the past decade. The analysis comes from Professor Fabrizio Pregliasco, Health Director of the Galeazzi Institute and anthropologist at the University of Milan. “To anticipate the impact of the flu season, we often look at what happened in Australia, where the winter had just ended. Then we had our second flu epidemic in the last 10 years. The main virus was AH3N2, a variant known for its ability to evade some of the immune system’s defenses,” he said.

Australia flu in Italy – “Covid is also coming back”

Although there is still no cause for alarm, attention is being raised in Italy, especially because part of the population, especially young children, have never been exposed to this virus. This situation could make a rapid spread of the flu, experts warn.

“Covid-19 is coming back, and its distribution is increasing,” said Professor Pregliasco also for The Messenger. However, he emphasizes that there is no need to be afraid, but “vaccination is still strongly recommended for vulnerable people and risk categories, both against Covid-19 and the flu,” said Pregliasco .

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The first case of influenza in the 2024-2025 season

Last week, Novara University Hospital confirmed the first case of influenza in the 2024-2025 season. The case, in which a 42-year-old patient was hospitalized, caused by H1N1pdm influenza viruswithout showing more aggression than last year. However, the main concern remains the spread of AH3N2, the type of virus that hit Australia hard. Estimates suggest that the number of cases could reach the level of two years ago, when around 14.5 million Italians were infected with the flu, or one in four.

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Flu symptoms

Australian flu in Italy – What are the symptoms? If AH3N2 is to circulate widely, Professor Pregliasco warns that this is a particularly protective variant, capable of bypassing the body’s defenses to some extent. The flu usually presents with a fever above 38°C, respiratory symptoms (cough, runny nose, red eyes) and muscle and joint pain. “As always, it is important to protect the elderly and the vulnerable through vaccination,” the professor reiterates.

Although there is still no reason to panic, Italy is preparing for a flu season that could be particularly severe, especially in the context of the return of the intense circulation of the AH3N2 virus and the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases, Il Messaggero also claims.