Data from the Information System for the Surveillance of Infections in Catalonia (SIVIC), updated this Tuesday, shows that flu incidence stands at 248 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, maintaining a moderate level. This figure follows a peak reached in mid-December, just before the Christmas holidays, with a maximum rate of 759. This peak was significantly higher and occurred earlier in the calendar compared to previous years.
Regarding healthcare pressure, hospital admissions for flu have dropped notably. Currently, there are 88 patients admitted to conventional beds, a reduction from 110 the previous week. Of these, 67 are over 60 years old. In Intensive Care Units (ICU), the number of patients has also decreased, falling from 14 to 9, six of whom are also over 60.
The highest rate of diagnoses continues to be among children under 4 years old, although cases in this age group have begun to decline sharply.
Flu remains the predominant virus, accounting for 39% of the analyzed samples, followed by rhinovirus (16%) and RSV (10%). Subtype A(H3N2) variant K is the most circulating strain (87%). Concurrently, the overall incidence of acute respiratory infections (IRA) is 635 affected per 100,000 inhabitants. RSV, the main cause of bronchiolitis in children, has registered a slight increase, standing at 64 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
Regarding vaccination coverage, SIVIC indicates that it is 67% for those over 80 years old and 54% for people between 70 and 79 years old. Among children aged 6 to 59 months, flu coverage is 42%.
