Health systems overburdened – authorities warn of “twin epidemic” with Covid-19

Influenza is back and faster than expected. While the influenza cases fell to a record minimum last winter, which was also due to the strict hygiene measures in the fight against the Corona pandemic, the influenza cases are increasing now on again. Since mid-December, the number of flu cases caused by influenza has been higher than expected, the EU disease protection agency European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported in a report this month. The number of flu cases in European intensive care units also rose steadily in December, peaking at 43 cases in the last week of the year, according to Reuters news agency. That is still significantly less than before the pandemic – in 2018, 400 cases of flu were reported in the intensive care units in the same phase of the year. But it’s a drastic increase compared to last year, when there was only one case of flu in an intensive care unit throughout December.

Influenza and Corona: EU authorities warn of “twins -demie”

The ECDC has now warned of a “twindemic” (“twin epidemic”) from corona and influenza. That would put “excessive pressure” on the already overburdened healthcare systems in Europe. To make matters worse, this year’s predominant strain of influenza appears to be the H3 strain of A virus, which tends to cause the most severe cases in the elderly. But: “The distribution of the viruses usually changes during the winter, so this situation could change,” says the ECDC report.

Expert: Influenza season possibly until in the summer

Added problem: The flu vaccine “may not be optimal” against H3, Pasi Penttinen, ECDC’s lead flu expert, told Reuters. Normally, six months before the flu season, vaccine manufacturers try to use the circulating viruses to predict which strain will dominate in the coming flu season. The flu vaccine is then composed accordingly. But last year there were very few or no viruses in circulation, making the decision difficult. However, according to the expert, it is still too early to adequately assess the vaccine’s effectiveness. At the same time, Penttinen warned: The return of the virus could be the start of an unusually long flu season that could extend well into the summer. “As we start lifting all measures, the big concern I have about the flu is that we may deviate from normal seasonal patterns because we’ve had such a long period of time that the virus has been around in Europe Population almost non-circulating,” he told Reuters.

France: 3 regions in flu epidemic

In neighboring France, there are already three regions in a flu epidemic, including the region around Paris. This emerges from a situation report by the French Ministry of Health from last week. Nine other regions are therefore in a pre-epidemic phase. This season in France there have already been 72 cases of severe influenza, with six deaths. France, like the rest of Europe, continues to rely on vaccinations to fight influenza. Currently, only 45 percent of vulnerable French are vaccinated, the report said. The vaccination period will be extended accordingly until February.