Flu spike in Modena, pneumonia alert

Dante Cintori, Modena secretary of the Italian Federation of General Practitioners (FIMMG), has reported a significant increase in influenza infections in the Modena area of Italy, with some cases progressing to pneumonia. This observation is supported by the Respivirnet virology report, which documented an upward trend in the infection curve, increasing from 33.7% between January 13 and 19 to 36% the following week. The data, processed by the World Health Organization (WHO) National Center for Influenza, designates Emilia-Romagna as a region of ‘high intensity’, categorising it among the most affected regions in Italy. Specifically, Emilia-Romagna ranks as the fourth most affected region, with 19.46 cases of influenza-like illness per thousand patients from January 20 to 26. Adherence to the influenza vaccination campaign has been demonstrated to reduce the severity of infections among individuals over 65, with an incidence of 7.37 cases per thousand. In Emilia-Romagna, the recommendation of vaccinations is extended to include healthcare workers, pregnant women, individuals with chronic diseases, and those aged sixty and over, as well as essential service workers, blood donors, volunteers in the social and healthcare sector, and personnel engaged in agricultural and slaughterhouse facilities.