Respiratory infections are on the rise, especially among children and the elderly

In the 42nd week of 2024, the incidence of acute respiratory infections (ARI) is almost unchanged at 1,323 patients per 100,000 population. Currently, the number of patients is increasing among preschool children, school children and the elderly, while it is slightly decreasing among adolescents, young adults and working-age adults. The South Moravian Region has the highest number of patients, but there are no significant differences between regions.

"For influenza-like illnesses (ILI), the number of patients has even decreased slightly, by less than 5 %, with the number of patients increasing especially among schoolchildren and preschoolers and decreasing among adults," clarifies the head of the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology of the State Institute of Health Jan Kynčl.

The respiratory infection season is developing normally so far, but we can definitely expect upper and lower respiratory infections to increase in the coming period. Therefore, it is still an ideal time to be vaccinated, especially against influenza and covid-19, and it is also advisable to think about pneumococcal vaccination, especially for the elderly and immunocompromised.

"Let's not help infections to spread, please think about following basic hygiene rules, washing or disinfecting hands frequently, sneezing and coughing into disposable tissues or at least into forearms. Let us not hesitate to wear respirators when appropriate, especially when visiting health care facilities - to protect ourselves and others, when in areas with a high concentration of people, but also, for example, to protect our families and loved ones from infection if we feel we might infect them. Let's be considerate," reminds the Chief Hygienist and Director of the HSE Barbora Macková.

There are frequent questions about the so-called epidemic threshold. For the whole group of respiratory infections (ARI), which includes, for example, rhinitis, influenza, covid-19, but also pneumococcal infections and others, the epidemic threshold is statistically considered to be the total morbidity in the Czech Republic at 1600-1700 patients per 100,000 population.

"The value of the epidemic threshold is influenced by a number of factors, such as the dynamics of the week-on-week increase in morbidity, the age distribution, the distribution of the disease in risk groups of the population (e.g. the elderly population) or the dynamics of the increase in the number of hospitalised patients, or the load on inpatient care capacities. Let us add that as of 1 September 2024, more than 150,000 persons have been vaccinated against covid-19 and more than 380,000 persons against influenza in the Czech Republic." adds the Director of the Department of Public Health Protection of the Ministry of Health Matthias Foshum.

SZU/ gnews - RoZ

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