COVID-19 positivity remains stable, while the hard indicators—hospitalizations, intubations, and deaths—show an increase, according to the epidemiological report from EODY for the period December 2–8.

At the same time, flu positivity continues its upward trend. Over the last week, two new severe flu cases requiring ICU hospitalization were reported.

Specifically, the EODY report states:

Flu-like Illness (ILI) – Regardless of Pathogen
The number of flu-like illness cases per 1,000 visits appears to be on the rise, despite a slight dip compared to the previous week.

Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) – Regardless of Pathogen
The number of SARI cases per 1,000 visits remains at low levels.

SARS-CoV-2 – COVID-19 Infection
The positivity rate across all tested samples remained stable compared to the previous week.

The number of new hospital admissions saw a slight increase compared to the previous week, with 632 new admissions recorded. The weekly average of new admissions over the past four weeks was 565.

The number of new intubations was 11, compared to the weekly average of 9 over the past four weeks. Currently, 21 patients with COVID-19 infection are intubated in ICUs.

There were 28 deaths reported, with the weekly average over the past four weeks standing at 27.

Since the beginning of the year, the recorded deaths in severe cases (intubated and/or ICU-hospitalized) have reached 322.

The predominant strain detected remains KP.3, while XEC shows an upward trend.

At the national level, the weighted viral load in urban wastewater remains moderate compared to historical data, showing a slight increase from the previous week. Specifically, in one out of the ten monitored areas, viral load levels are high (with no significant change from the previous week), in three areas, levels are moderate (with an increase noted in one), and in the remaining areas, levels are low.

Flu Virus
Flu positivity in the community, as estimated by the Sentinel Primary Healthcare Surveillance Network, has surpassed the threshold indicating the start of seasonal flu activity (10%), continuing its upward trajectory.

The positivity rate in SARI surveillance samples also shows an upward trend.

Two new severe flu cases requiring ICU hospitalization were recorded last week, with no new deaths reported from laboratory-confirmed flu.

Since the start of flu surveillance, five laboratory-confirmed cases with ICU hospitalization and one death from laboratory-confirmed flu have been recorded. Since the beginning of the year, 62 deaths have been recorded in severe cases of laboratory-confirmed flu.

Out of 1,005 samples (from the community via Sentinel, SARI surveillance, and hospitals outside surveillance networks), 20 (2%) tested positive for flu viruses: 19 were Type A and one Type B.

Of the 19 Type A strains subtyped, five (26%) belonged to subtype A(H3), and 14 (74%) to subtype A(H1)pdm09.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
No positive samples were detected in the community (Sentinel Primary Healthcare Surveillance Network) or in hospitals (SARI surveillance network).