Italy recorded an estimated 803,000 new cases of acute respiratory infections, including flu, in the week from December 29 to January 4, according to the latest RespiVirNet surveillance report by the National Institute of Health (ISS). This equals 14.1 cases per 1,000 people and marks a slight decline from the previous week.
Since the start of the monitoring season, around 7.5 million cases have been recorded nationwide. The ISS cautioned that the latest figures may underestimate the real spread of flu viruses, as fewer medical visits and delayed reporting are common during the Christmas holidays. As in previous years, the highest infection rates were seen among children aged 0 to 4.
ISS experts said the recent slowdown in cases appears more pronounced than in the same period in past seasons, but stressed it is too early to confirm a sustained decline. They said the next bulletin will show whether cases continue to fall or rise again, and whether they exceed recent peaks.
Flu activity remains very high in Campania, high in Sicily and the Marche, and moderate in several central and northern regions. In early January, flu test positivity stood at 17% in the community and 40.5% among hospital patients. Severe flu cases were largely linked to the A(H1N1)pdm09 strain, while A(H3N2) remained dominant in the wider community. Most severe cases involved unvaccinated patients.
In Sicily, the rise in flu cases has put heavy pressure on hospital emergency departments over the past two weeks. Overcrowding has worsened as patients wait in emergency units for admission to wards, with some hospitals reporting occupancy levels far above capacity.
At Palermo’s Civico hospital, the emergency department was operating at 192% capacity on Wednesday morning, with many patients waiting more than 24 hours for a bed. Similar conditions were reported at Villa Sofia hospital, prompting regional president Renato Schifani to urgently summon hospital management for an explanation.
At Palermo’s Policlinico hospital, management has set up a dedicated task force to handle the flu emergency and emergency room overcrowding. Hospital officials said flu-related respiratory complications are extending hospital stays, slowing bed turnover and limiting overall capacity.
Medical unions warned that the situation highlights long-standing structural weaknesses. CIMO Sicilia said the combination of intense flu circulation and low vaccination uptake has led to an unusually high number of serious respiratory cases, renewing calls for an updated hospital network with more inpatient beds.
Via ANSA
