Flu cases increase in Spain in the last week

Flu and respiratory viruses: tips to strengthen the immune system

The flu rate has increased in the last week to reach 20.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitantscompared to 16.7 cases the previous week, a figure that exceeds the levels recorded on the same date during the previous two years, according to the report from the Acute Respiratory Infection Surveillance System (SiVIRA)published by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII).

The data, corresponding to the week from October 27 to November 2reveal that the flu syndrome has already reached the epidemic thresholdalthough transmission is “low intensity”. In the same period of 2024, the rate was 8.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and, in 2023, 9.8 cases. Only in 2022, a period still marked by the Covid pandemic, were the figures higher, with 24.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

In its latest report, the ISCIII highlights that the flu is mainly affecting the child populationwhich leads by age range, with 37.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in children between one and four years old; and 21.9 cases among children under one year old. Likewise, for the group between five and 19 years old, cases have risen to 23.5.

In general terms, the rate of acute respiratory infections (ARIs)which includes flu, Covid-19 and bronchitis and bronchiolitis, is located in 442.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitantscompared to 419.8 the previous week. Like the flu, ARIs have exceeded the epidemic threshold and present a “low” transmission intensity.

Cases of bronchitis and bronchiolitis in children under five years of age have also suffered a slight increase, with 244.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last week, an increase of almost 20 cases compared to 225.5 per 100,000 inhabitants the previous week. On the other hand, the Covid-19 rate has decreased and registers 6.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, when the previous week it was 8.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Regarding the percentage of positivity for each of the infections, in week 44 of the year it was 9.8 percent for flu (7.5% in the previous week), 5.5 percent for SARS-CoV-2 (7.6% in the previous week) and 0.8 percent for RSV (2.3% in the previous week).

Surveillance in hospitals

On the other hand, the rate of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) in hospitals has been located in 10.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitantscompared to 11.3 cases the previous week. The percentage of positivity is 10.7 percent for flu (7.3% in the previous week), 3.5 percent for SARS-CoV-2 (10.1% in the previous week) and two percent for RSV (0.9% in the previous week).

The hospitalization rate for flu is 1.1 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and has experienced a slight rise compared to 0.8 cases the previous week. In terms of severity, since the start of the season in week 40/2024, cases hospitalized for flu have presented 22.9 percent pneumonia, 5.2 percent admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 2.7 percent fatality.

The hospitalization rate for Covid-19 has been 0.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitantscompared to 1.1 in week 43. In terms of severity, since the beginning of the season, hospitalized cases due to Covid-19 present 22 percent pneumonia, 1.9 percent ICU admission and 11.5 percent fatality.

While, RSV hospitalization rate It has stood at 0.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 0.1 previous cases. In terms of severity, since the beginning of the season, hospitalized cases due to RSV present 7.7 percent pneumonia, 27.3 percent admission to the ICU and zero percent fatality.

According to the estimates of the MoMo model, in week 44 of this year, 8,393 deaths have been observed in Spain, while 8,032 were expected.