Europe Prepares for a 'tridemic' of Respiratory Diseases
Influenza, COVID and RSV are on the rise in Europe.
Influenza, COVID and RSV are on the rise in Europe. Italy and Spain are on high alert and people wearing face masks in public is a common sight again.European countries — especially Spain and Italy — are witnessing a surge in the number of people infected with respiratory illnesses.
Many local news agencies are reporting shortages of hospital beds and overflowing healthcare facilities.
Flu infections across the continent are the biggest concern at the moment. Its impact on the healthcare system is compounded by an increasing number of coronavirus and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) cases.
A potential 'tridemic' in Europe — plus Swine flu
While Italy is staring at an additional threat of Swine flu spread, Spain is introducing new mask regulations.
Other parts of the continent, including Germany and the UK, have observed a spike in cases of the three disease — COVID, RSV and flu — in recent weeks.
Many countries in central and eastern Europe also reported an increase in respiratory illnesses over the final weeks of 2023.
"Almost 10,000 deaths from COVID-19 were reported to WHO in December (mostly in Europe and US), and there was a 42% increase in hospitalizations and a 62% increase in [intensive care unit] admissions, compared with November," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General at the World Health Organization.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said rates of influenza-like respiratory illness in the community continued to increase in most European countries: "Following relatively low respiratory illness activity over the summer period, consultation rates increased in primary care settings from September."
The rates of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) cases presenting to secondary care were at a level comparable to the same time last year and are now notably increasing in some of the countries.
Flu cases spike in late December 2023
Among those tested, the percentage of people with influenza increased from 19% in mid-December to almost 25% at the very end of the year.
Ten countries in Europe, including Italy and Spain, reported seasonal influenza activity above the 10% positivity testing rates in sentinel primary care.
But the ECDC said the figures could be affected by the end-of-year holiday season and fail to reveal the real picture — it noted that fewer people got tested during the holiday season.
The sharp increase in spread could also be attributed to massive gatherings during Christmas and other festive events, common in Spain. The ECDC said both influenza types A and B had been detected.
Swine flu alert in Italy
Italy recorded two flu-related deaths in early January in the northeastern city of Vicenza. Doctors suspected that the deaths were caused by an outbreak of Swine flu, H1N1 influenza.
Three other patients are hospitalized in intensive care due to complications, such as interstitial pneumonia, arising from the disease. Local health authorities in Vicenza have appealed to the public to get vaccinated against Swine flu.
Swine flu is only the most recent addition to existing stresses on the public health system in Italy. The Italian National Institute of Health estimated that around two million people were infected with COVID, RSV or Influenza in the last two weeks of 2023.
Into January, ambulances were seen lining up outside hospitals in Rome. Healthcare centers were overcrowded with patients waiting for beds in other cities like Milan and Turin.
Spain brings back face mask in healthcare centers
Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia has made mandatory for all people to wear face masks in healthcare centers around the country.
"[We have to] protect the most vulnerable people," Garcia told reporters. "It's just common sense."
Some hospitals in Spain are also struggling to cope with the influx of new patients.
The government said restrictions may be removed if infection rates fall consistently for two weeks. But it is worth noting that Spain was among the last countries to drop face mask regulations during the pandemic.
The data for this article were gathered and visualized by DW Data's Eva Höppner and Hermann Wirt.
Edited by: Zulfikar Abbany
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 11, 2024 07:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).