The arrival of cold weather brings with it a wave of colds that, despite happening every year, seems to have surprised many, especially after two years in which Covid had taken centre stage by displacing other respiratory viruses. Influenza, bronchiolitis, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have joined SARS-CoV-2 this year to turn this season into the ‘winter of colds’, and it’s only September!
The rate of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) nationwide has increased by 10% in the week from September 2 to 8 compared to the previous week, reaching an incidence of 251.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
The new data show a progressive rise in cases of acute respiratory infections in recent weeks, since in the report published two weeks ago, the incidence was 190.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
On the other hand, the hospitalisation rate for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) is 7.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (7.6 cases/100,000 in the previous week). In terms of severity, since the start of the season, 31.9% of cases hospitalised for influenza have been pneumonia, 5.8% ICU admission and 7.1% fatality.
The hospitalisation rate for Covid-19 is 0.9 cases/100,000 (1.2 cases/100,000 h in the previous week). In terms of severity, since the start of the season, these cases have a 29.1% case of pneumonia, a 3.9% case of admission to ICU and a 8.2% case fatality rate.
