Respiratory Infections Surge as Italy Nears Seasonal Peak
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Approximately 950,000 new cases of acute respiratory infections were recorded in Italy during the week of December 15 to 21, according to data released on Monday by the Higher Health Institute (ISS). The cases were attributed to various viruses, including influenza.
The incidence rate rose to 17.1 cases per 1,000 patients, up from 14.7 the previous week, an increase described as expected for this time of year. The rise was observed across all age groups, with the highest incidence, as usual, among children under five, where rates reached approximately 50 cases per 1,000 patients.
Since the start of surveillance, around 5.8 million cases of acute respiratory infections have been detected.
In parallel, emergency room surveillance data reported by several regions — including Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Marche, Lazio, Abruzzo and Sicily — indicate an increase in both emergency room visits and hospitalizations for respiratory conditions compared to the same week of the previous season. The data, updated to week 50 of 2025 (December 8–14), form part of the latest RespiVirNet surveillance report from the ISS.
Commenting on the findings, Anna Teresa Palamara, director of the ISS’s infectious diseases department, said the data suggest Italy is approaching the peak of cases, which is likely to be reached in the coming weeks, with sustained circulation of respiratory viruses expected for the period. She added that, as reported by several regions, the rise in cases this year is once again accompanied by an increase in emergency room visits and hospitalizations, particularly among older adults.
