According to the latest influenza report for December 2023 released by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, the number of influenza tests in Europe in the last few weeks of 2023 doubled compared with the same period in 2022, but the number of influenza tests fell by half. Control (ECDC).
In December 2023, a total of 709,994 influenza tests were conducted in the European region, of which 17,313 people tested positive for influenza. Additionally, 95% of detected cases were influenza A, compared with 5% for influenza B. During the same period in 2022, 551,767 influenza tests were conducted and 26,286 influenza cases were detected, 93% of which were influenza A and 7% were influenza A. Influenza B percentage.
Likewise, the report shows that global influenza testing has increased since the last report in October, approaching the 10% epidemic threshold.
The relative proportions of A/H1N1, A/H3N2, and B/Victoria influenza subtypes vary by geographic region where A/H1N1 and A/H3N2 primarily cocirculate, as well as by some detections of B/Victoria.
In both periods, the proportion of unknown influenza A subtypes accounted for approximately 60% of the total influenza A detected.Relative frequencies of known influenza A subtypes
The situation is similar between the two periods, with the frequency of A/H3N2 (52%) and A/H1N1 (48%) viruses in the current period being almost similar, while the ratio for the same period in 2022 is 55%/45%.
On the other hand, compared to the last influenza report published by ECDC in October 2023, there has been a significant increase in influenza testing and the number of detected cases, from 271,256 tests in October 2023 to 709,994 cases in December, with 1,900 detected cases increased in October to 17,313 in October 2023. December.
In view of this situation, on December 15, ECDC has urged European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) member states to intensify vaccination campaigns and prepare for the possible need to increase emergency services and intensive care unit capacity, as well as consider Implement a range of public health measures to reduce the impact of respiratory pathogens spreading this winter.