Positivity for COVID-19 in the community declined during the week of October 20–26, according to the Hellenic National Public Health Organization (EODY) in its latest epidemiological report on respiratory infections. Influenza positivity also remains very low, with only sporadic positive samples detected.

Key findings from the EODY report:

Influenza-like Illness (ILI) – regardless of pathogen

The number of influenza-like illness cases per 1,000 visits remains low, although slightly higher than historical averages for the same period. A decrease was recorded compared to the previous week.

Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) – regardless of pathogen

The number of SARI cases per 1,000 visits is at low levels, also showing a decrease from the previous week.

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)

The positivity rate from all SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic tests nationwide decreased compared to the previous week. Since the start of the summer, there have been only sporadic cases of intubations and deaths. During the last week, no new intubations were recorded, while two new deaths occurred.

Since late spring, there has been co-circulation of the LP.8.1, NB.1.8.1, and XFG variants (classified as Variants Under Monitoring by the ECDC and WHO/EURO), with the XFG strain showing a gradual increase and now being the dominant variant in detections.

Wastewater surveillance

At the national level, the weighted viral load in urban wastewater remains at moderate levels compared with historical data, showing a decline from the previous week.

Influenza virus

Influenza positivity in the community (based on the Sentinel surveillance network for primary care) and in secondary healthcare facilities (based on SARI surveillance) remains very low, with only sporadic positive samples detected. In the last week, one new severe case requiring ICU hospitalization was recorded, but no deaths from laboratory-confirmed influenza were reported. Over the past three weeks, among 557 tested samples (from community Sentinel sites, SARI surveillance, and hospitals outside the network), nine were positive for influenza type A viruses. Of the seven type A strains that were subtyped, two belonged to A(H3) and five to A(H1)pdm09.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

No positive samples for RSV were detected either in the community (Sentinel network) or in hospitals participating in the SARI surveillance network.