New flu strain putting severe pressure on healthcare across Europe, says WHO | Flu
A sharp increase in flu cases caused by a newly dominant virus strain is spreading across Europe, putting health systems in several countries under severe pressure, the World Health Organization said.
The WHO said on Wednesday that at least 27 of 38 countries in its European region were reporting “high or very high influenza activity”, with more than half of patients with flu-like symptoms testing positive in six countries, including Ireland, Serbia, Slovenia and the United Kingdom.
He said the flu season started about four weeks earlier than in previous years and urged people to curb transmission by getting vaccinated, staying home when sick and wearing a mask in public if they have respiratory symptoms.
The WHO said the new seasonal flu variant – A(H3N2) subclade K – was causing the infections, accounting for up to 90% of all confirmed flu cases in the European region, but added there was no evidence it causes more severe illness.
Hans Henri Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said: “Flu appears every winter, but this year it’s a little different. This shows how a small genetic variation in the flu virus can put enormous pressure on our health systems.”
Kluge also highlighted the danger of misinformation and misinformation. “In the current climate, it is vital to seek credible information from trusted sources such as national health agencies and the WHO,” he said. “During a difficult flu season, reliable, evidence-based information can save lives. »
The WHO said early data from the UK confirmed that the flu vaccine reduced the risk of serious illness from the A(H3N2) strain, although it did not prevent infection, and said vaccination remained the most important preventive step.
“This is particularly important for those most at risk, including the elderly, those with underlying conditions, pregnant women and children,” the document states. Health workers are also a priority group to protect their own health and that of their patients.
“As in other seasons, school-aged children are the main drivers of community spread,” he adds. “However, adults aged 65 and older make up the majority of severe cases requiring hospitalization.”
Kluge said flu season is expected to peak in late December or early January. “The current flu season, while serious, does not represent the level of global emergency we faced during the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said, adding: “Our health systems have decades of experience managing influenza, we have safe vaccines that are updated annually, and we have a clear playbook of protective measures that work. »
Britain’s NHS said last week it was bracing for one of the worst winters on record amid growing pressure on GP practices, hospitals and ambulance services. The Robert Koch Institute in Germany said the country’s flu season started two to three weeks earlier.
France’s national public health agency, Santé publique, said flu activity was “increasing sharply” in mainland France, with an increase in cases across all age groups and an increase in the number of people seeking treatment in hospital emergency rooms.
In Spain, infection rates were already higher than last year’s winter peak and hospitalizations had doubled in a week, while Romania and Hungary were also seeing sharp increases in cases.
