The Flu Season: Understanding the Current Situation and Taking Precautions
The flu season is still ongoing, and after a brief decrease in cases during the Christmas period, the reopening of schools is expected to lead to a resurgence in cases. According to experts from the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, the incidence of flu is likely to rise or remain high in the coming weeks. In the week from December 22 to 28, the incidence was 14.5 cases per 1,000 patients, compared to 17.1 cases in the previous 7 days, resulting in around 820,000 new cases and a total of approximately 6.7 million cases since the start of surveillance.
Children in the 0-4 age group are the most affected, with around 39 cases per 1,000 assisted. The flu virus is still circulating intensely, and family doctors are reporting a high number of people forced to stay at home due to fever, muscle aches, marked tiredness, and respiratory problems. As Elisabetta Alti, vice-president of the Order of Surgeons and Dentists of the province of Florence, emphasizes, “it is essential not to lower our guard and not to take the virus lightly by saying ‘it’s just a flu'”.
Debunking Myths and Taking Precautions
The Istituto Superiore di Sanità has published a series of FAQs to dispel clichés and false information about the flu, including the use of antibiotics. Experts stress that antibiotics are only effective against bacteria, not against viruses such as those of influenza or COVID-19. Taking antibiotics without medical indication is not only useless but can also contribute to promoting bacterial resistance, making it more difficult to cure any future infections.
To avoid contagion, it is crucial to follow some basic rules of conduct, including washing hands regularly, observing good respiratory hygiene, staying at home if symptoms are present, avoiding close contact with people with symptoms, and avoiding touching eyes, nose, or mouth. These precautions are similar to those applied during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Global Situation and the Dominant Influenza K Variant
The fast-spreading influenza K variant has become dominant in the United States, with New York state recently recording the most flu cases and hospitalizations ever recorded in one week. According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are rising across the country. The mutated H3N2 strain, called K, emerged earlier this year and quickly gained dominance in the Northern Hemisphere, causing a surge in infections in Japan and the UK.
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