Flu earlier than predicted: new H3N2 mutates and sends people to hospital
8 January 15:06
EXCLUSIVE
In Ukraine, this year’s season of acute respiratory viral infections began earlier than doctors had predicted. Experts have recorded active circulation of the influenza virus since the beginning of the epidemic season, which is atypical for previous years. This situation is characteristic not only of our country, but also of other countries around the world.
As she said in an exclusive comment
“The flu virus arrived earlier than predicted and earlier than it has ever arrived before. A whole month earlier, even more in some areas. This year, the epidemic season began with the spread of H3N2. It is a very new virus that mutates even during the course of this epidemic and, unfortunately, acquires properties that cause very rapid development, with the onset of complications, including pneumonia,” said Natalia Vinograd.
Along with the flu, other respiratory viruses are also circulating in Ukraine. Some of them are clearly seasonal, while others are present all year round. Doctors note the presence of adenovirus, enterovirus, and isolated cases of parainfluenza. This viral “combination” complicates the epidemic situation and creates an additional burden on the healthcare system.
“We have adenovirus on our tails… Parainfluenza is over, we have enterovirus, we have immunocompromised infections, and on top of all that, there is a big problem in Europe, which is whooping cough. This bacterial infection is growing seriously, as is measles, which also needs to be taken very seriously, and here there are tools and approaches for prevention, namely vaccination,” the epidemiologist stated.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, several strains of influenza A — H1N1 and H3N2 — are currently circulating in Ukraine. In the last three weeks, there has been an increase in the incidence of the disease, and the virus is actively spreading among the population, including children and people of working age. Some of the patients require inpatient treatment.
This was reported in an exclusive comment
“In Ukraine, several types of influenza A virus are circulating. Namely, there is influenza A(H1N1) and influenza A(H3N2). And, in fact, over the past three weeks, we have seen it actively spreading among the population, including putting people in hospital beds,” she emphasized.
In addition to influenza, laboratory tests have confirmed cases of other viral infections: rhinovirus, metapneumovirus, as well as isolated cases of coronavirus, which is currently considered one of the causative agents of acute respiratory infections.
Despite the fact that the overall incidence is increasing, the epidemic threshold has not yet been exceeded. Weekly indicators are still within the average long-term values. At the same time, doctors emphasize that there are real prerequisites for the further spread of influenza and the transition of the situation into an epidemic phase.
“In terms of numbers, there is such a thing as an epidemic threshold, where the average incidence of acute respiratory viral infections over many years is calculated each week, and the situation is compared with the epidemic threshold. That is, as of now, despite the fact that the incidence rate is supposedly growing, we say that there is no epidemic yet, there is no epidemic spread, but there are prerequisites for it,” Natalia Ivanchenko clarified.
In addition to respiratory infections, Ukraine is seeing an increase in the incidence of chickenpox, especially among children.
