Severe acute respiratory infection rate in hospital network drops to 15.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants
Victoria, February 7 (European Press) –
This week, Osakidetza again recorded a decline in influenza virus transmission and covid-19 incidence, despite an increase in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) testing and bronchiolitis diagnoses.
The latest Osakidetza acute respiratory infection (ARI) surveillance report, covering the period January 21 to February 4, shows the ARI rate in the primary care network was 468.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (compared to 516.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants the previous week ).
In turn, the incidence of influenza syndrome in primary care continues to fall, while the incidence of bronchiolitis increased this week “within the normal fluctuations following epidemic peaks”, according to the analysis conducted by Osakidetza.
In addition, 51.6% of the 62 surveillance samples sent to the microbiology laboratory have been confirmed, with 6 cases of Covid-19 or SARS-CoV-2 (positive rate 9.7%) and 13 influenza viruses (positive rate 21.0%) detected. and 1 case of influenza virus (positive rate 21.0%). VRS (positive rate 1.6%).
The incidence of severe acute respiratory infections in the Osakidetza hospital network is 15.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (previous week: 15.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants). This week, 110 SARS-CoV-2, 269 influenza viruses and 69 RSV species have been registered in the Euskadi Microbiological Information System.
Distribution by region and age
The rate of acute respiratory infections in primary care this week was 468.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (previous week: 516.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants). By historical territory, the mortality rate was 352.0/100,000 in Álava, 486.2/100,000 in Vizcaya and 493.3/100,000 in Guipuzcoa.
By age group, the incidence rate is highest among those aged 0 to 4 years old, with 2,043.7 cases per 100,000 people; followed by those aged 5 to 14 years old, with 865.2 cases per 100,000 people. Compared with the previous week, incidence rates increased again in the 5 to 14 age group and decreased in the remaining age groups.
In turn, the incidence of influenza syndrome in primary care fell again this week to 26.6 per 100,000 inhabitants (compared to 41.1 per 100,000 inhabitants the previous week). The incidence of bronchiolitis (in children under two years of age) increased “within the normal fluctuations after the peak of the epidemic” and reached 256.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (previous week: 197.6 cases per 100,000 inhabitants).
sentinel sample
In the field of microbiological diagnosis of sentinel samples, 62 samples were analyzed by the IRA Reference Microbiology Laboratory this week, with a diagnosis rate of 51.6%. Six SARS-CoV-2, 13 influenza viruses (4 AH1pdm09 and 9 AH3) and 1 RSV have been detected. Five seasonal coronaviruses were also detected.
The positivity rate for SARS-CoV-2 has increased, reaching 9.7% (versus 1.3% the previous week). The influenza virus positivity rate also increased, reaching 21.0% (previous week: 18.7%), and the RSV positivity rate remained at 1.6% (previous week: 1.3%). Seasonal coronavirus positivity rate is 8.1% (previous week: 12.0%).
On the other hand, the incidence rate of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) was 15.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (previous week: 15.9/100,000), for women 15.6/100,000 and for men 14.8/100,000.
By age group, the incidence rate is highest among people over 64 years old, with 43.8 cases per 100,000 people; followed by children under 5 years old, with 19.3 cases per 100,000 people. Compared with the previous week, incidence rates increased among children under 15 years old and among those aged 45 to 64 years.
The results of the virological analysis of SARI cases in the Osakidetza hospital network show that the positivity rate for influenza viruses has dropped again, to 20.0% (previous week: 23.1%), and that for SARS-CoV-2 has also dropped to 3.4% (previous week: 23.1%). 7.7% for the week). The RSV positivity rate rose to 11.6% (compared to 8.2% the previous week) and the rhinovirus positivity rate was 16.7%.
The report states that this week the Osakidetza Biodiagnostic Network has detected 110 SARS-CoV-2, 269 influenza viruses and 69 RSV. Of the 269 influenza viruses detected this week, 186 were untyped “A” viruses, 31 “A(H3)” viruses, 51 “A(H1)pdm09” viruses and one “B type” virus.
Since week 40 last year, 5,533 detections of influenza viruses have been recorded, including 5,521 (99.8%) cases of ‘type A’ and 12 (0.2%) cases of ‘type B’. Of the 1,676 subtype “A” viruses, 333 (19.9%) were “A(H3”) and 1,343 (80.1%) were “A(H1)pdm09”.
So far in the 2023-2024 season, the Microbiology Laboratory of Donosti University Hospital has conducted oseltamivir susceptibility analysis on 181 “AH1p” influenza strains and detected 2 drug-resistant strains (1.1%). The cases involved two women admitted to the hospital, aged 76 and 84, who apparently did not receive oseltamivir.
According to data provided by the Microbiology Service of the Osakidetza Biodiagnostic Network, in January, 19.1% of “SARS-CoV-2” positive samples have been PCR sequenced so far. All are μ micron variants, with the most common lineages being ‘JN.1’ (90.2%), ‘BA.2.86’ (3.9%) and ‘JG.3’. (2.0%).
COVID-19 incidence rates drop
In the fifth week of the year, the seven-day cumulative incidence rate of covid-19 among people aged 60 and over was 11.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (26.6 cases per 100,000 inhabitants the previous week), and the figure was 10.7 cases among men and women. For women it is 12.7.
According to data obtained by the Osakidetza Hospital Situation Indicator, 42 people have been hospitalized with covid-19 in Euskadi this week (45 the previous week), 18 of them men and 24 women. 81.0% of the admitted patients are over 60 years old.
During the week analyzed in this report, 11 new confirmed cases of covid-19 were reported among nursing home staff (compared to 15 the previous week).There are nine centers affected, four fewer than the previous week