Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are giving a respite this winter season due to high temperatures. According to the latest bulletin from the Carlos III Institute surveillance system, the rate of acute respiratory infections in Andalusia stood at 246 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in week 49 – which runs from December 4 to 10 – well below the Spanish average, which was 523. Andalusia is, in fact, and only behind the Balearic Islands, the community with the lowest incidence of ARI.
Compared to the previous year, the data reflect a winter of little viral activity. In week 49 of 2022, the Carlos III report placed the positivity of acute respiratory infections at 318 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in Andalusia, 72 points above the same week in 2023.
This year there is less circulation of viruses and, in addition, they cause less income. The rate of hospitalizations due to serious ARI in Andalusia stands at 12.3 cases per 100,000 – the country average is 15.5 –, when the previous year it was 21.5, in line with the state average.
The second week of December, the Andalusian hospitals participating in the Carlos III epidemiological surveillance system collected a total of 1,112 samples to monitor the evolution of each of the most common respiratory viruses: flu, covid and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – the one that causes bronchiolitis in children. The results show that Covid continues to be the majority. Its positivity rate is 10.3%, two points below the average. Regarding the flu, the positivity rate is 4.7% – the average is 5.2%; and regarding VRS, the positivity is 3.1, almost three points below the average.
Although the samples analyzed reflect a low incidence of ARI, the Health Ministry of the Government of Andalusia fears that vaccination coverage will decrease. For this reason, it is encouraging vaccination in older people and other risk groups, before Christmas, a time of social and family gatherings. To this end, a total of 380 walk-in vaccination points for flu and Covid will open today and until the 21st, which can be consulted on the Andalusian Health Service website. «The vaccine has proven to be the most efficient and safe tool against the flu and covid viruses. It is key that we protect ourselves again, those who have not yet done so, to avoid serious illness and hospitalization. It is important to further accelerate the rate of vaccination in all people in the target groups,” the Ministry points out. To prevent the most serious forms of RSV, the Government of Andalusia is vaccinating children under one year of age. Thanks to this vaccine, 80% of admissions for bronchiolitis in babies are being avoided.
According to the evolution shown by the Carlos III surveillance system, the incidence of acute respiratory viruses began to rise in week 45, the second of November. Then, the incidence of ARI in Andalusia was 337.5 cases per 100,000. In week 46, the rate increased to 345; in 47 it was 376 and in 48 there was a peak of 401. In 48, the second week of December, the curve dropped again to 246 cases per 100,000, but it is expected that at Christmas infections could skyrocket again. Hence the call for vaccination.
2023-12-19 04:57:54
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