Experts report a severe and unusual flu season

Hospitals throughout the country report a continued increase in the incidence of influenza and respiratory viruses. The Ziv Medical Center is updating today (Monday) that a 6-year-old girl came to the emergency room over the weekend due to flu symptoms that included fever, upper abdominal pain, weakness and vomiting. The hospital reported that after several tests and treatment in the pediatric emergency department, she was diagnosed with pericarditis and myocarditis – a complication of influenza type B. The girl’s condition is defined as moderate, and she is still hospitalized in the pediatric intensive care unit.Earlier this morning, we were informed by Assuta Public Hospital in Ashdod about two babies who were hospitalized last week in the pediatric intensive care unit in serious condition as a result of complications from the flu. Their condition has improved and stabilized since then. The hospital reported that one of the babies, less than a year old, was brought to the emergency room suffering from convulsions and respiratory failure. As a result, the medical team decided to anesthetize and euthanize him. After five days of intensive treatment, there was a significant improvement in his condition, and last night he was released to his home in good condition. The second case also happened last week, when a one-year-old baby arrived at the clinic prematurely, also due to severe respiratory failure, and was rushed to the hospital. In this case too, the doctors had to anesthetize and immobilize him for three days. His condition has improved, although he is still hospitalized.

 

Last night (Sunday) the Soroka Medical Center announced the death of a 40-year-old woman as a result of complications from the flu. This is the fourth case of death reported this year as a result of the complications of the virus. “Despite the efforts of the doctors and prolonged resuscitation operations, unfortunately, the medical team was forced to pronounce her dead. We share in the family’s grief,” the hospital’s statement said. According to them, the woman was not vaccinated against the virus. In Soroka, we noted that the hospital currently has about 40 patients hospitalized due to respiratory viral disease, of which two flu patients are hospitalized in serious condition in the internal intensive care unit – a man in his 50s, with no underlying diseases, who is connected to an ACMO device (simulating heart-lung action), And another patient is breathing and in serious condition.

 

In the last month we reported on three cases of death as a result of the flu: a 5-year-old who suffered from underlying diseases, a 13-year-old from Elad and an 18-year-old from Jerusalem.

An increase in respiratory morbidity

According to data from the National Center for Disease Control from last week, the increase in respiratory morbidity rates continues. Monitoring data in the community shows that the upward trend in flu-like morbidity continues, which for the first time this season is defined as “moderate”. From the data on visits to Klalit’s hospitals, there is an increase in visits to the pediatric emergency room and the general emergency room, as a result of pneumonia. According to the National Center for Disease Control at the Ministry of Health, since the beginning of the winter season, 73 flu patients were reported to have been hospitalized in intensive care/intensified care at the general hospitals. About 53% of them were confirmed to have influenza type A, and 45% to have influenza type B.

In the meantime, the Ministry of Health reports on continued high activity of the RSV virus, and the hMPV virus, whose name recently appeared in reports about respiratory disease in China.

At the Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba, 17 adults are currently hospitalized, of which 3 are on ventilators, as well as 7 children – all due to respiratory illness – both the flu and the RSV virus. At the Wolfson Medical Center, four flu patients are reported to be hospitalized in the hospital’s intensive care unit. At Sheba Medical Center (Tel Hashomer) two elderly patients are hospitalized in serious condition.

 

 

 

At the Carmel Hospital in Haifa they also note that they sense an increase in the number of flu patients and according to them the majority of the increase is felt among adults. About 20 flu patients over the age of 60, defined as in serious condition, are currently hospitalized at the hospital. The hospital notes that this year, compared to previous years, the disease is characterized by patients in a more difficult and complex condition.

Full occupancy and even more

Due to the increase in winter morbidity and the high number of hospitalized patients, the hospitals are faced with a heavy load which is manifested in high occupancy rates, of more than 100%, in the internal wards and the emergency room. At the Bilinson Medical Center of the Klalit Group, they say that the occupancy rate in the emergency department is 150%, and in the internal departments at 111%.

At the Rambam Hospital in Haifa, we updated last night (Sunday) that there are 180 patients in the emergency department, which represents an increase of more than 200% occupancy. According to them, the increase has been measured consistently for 10 days on the floors. . The occupancy rates in question in the internal wards are increasing, and are now at 105% occupancy percentages,” the hospital’s statement said. Rambam added that the majority of severe morbidity is measured among the elderly population.

Although the Ministry of Health stated that the morbidity data, as of now, are no different from previous seasons, according to the experts, this is an unusual flu season, and it is possible that at the end of the season, the data will become clear compared to the previous years.

Dr. Diana Pa’or, Director of Pediatrics at the Ziv Medical Center states that “the feeling is that the scope of the flu is unusual compared to last year – both in the emergency medicine departments and in the health funds throughout the country.”

Prof. Yasmin Maor, director of the Infectious Diseases Unit at the Wolfson Medical Center, also feels that the current season is difficult. “The feeling is that there are more seriously ill patients this year than last year, although we will be able to judge this absolutely only at the end of the season. We do know that there may be differences from year to year in the severity of the disease, which are related, among other things, to the changing vaccination rates, the degree of suitability and effectiveness of the vaccine for common viruses, as well as the degree of exposure to the virus in the previous years”. According to her, the most prominent strain this season is influenza type B. She notes that, unusually, this year there are more deaths as a result of complications from influenza among young people. “Death as a result of the flu among adults is an event we encounter every year, but this year there are several cases of death among young people, which is unusual. This indicates that the virus is more violent, and that vaccination rates among the population are unfortunately low.”

“We’re just at the beginning”

Prof. Maor emphasizes that “we have not yet reached the peak of morbidity, and I predict that the burden will only increase. Usually the flu season lasts between six and eight weeks, so we are only at the beginning.” She points out that since the corona, in addition to the “normal” winter illness, the hospitals are also dealing with the corona illness. “It is true that we are not at the peak of the epidemic, but there are still patients. At our hospital, one corona patient is hospitalized in intensive care, and the incidence of corona obviously affects the load, the available beds and the resources.”

 

 

 

The professor refers to a complication of the flu virus, which has been reported recently in several cases: pericarditis. “This is not a new complication, we know that all respiratory viruses can cause inflammation of the heart muscle. When we talk about severe complications as a result of the flu, it also includes respiratory complications, whether from the virus itself or from other bacterial infections that ‘dress up’ for the flu. All these viruses can harm more organs in the body, one of which is the heart. Inflammation of the heart muscle is a serious complication, as it can lead to a fatal arrhythmia.” The professor emphasizes that although it is a rare complication, as the morbidity increases, “rare complications are also manifested”.

Prof. Maor urges the public to get vaccinated: “It’s not too late. You can still benefit from getting vaccinated and prevent a serious illness.”

The Ministry of Health stated: “The Ministry of Health recommends that the public (from the age of six months and older) get vaccinated against the flu, especially for boys and girls 65 and older and for people in risk groups. The flu virus can cause serious illness, such as pneumonia, other respiratory complications, inflammation of the heart muscle and even death. The vaccine reduces the risk For complications including pneumonia, hospitalizations and mortality.

“The National Center for Disease Control at the Ministry of Health constantly monitors the data on influenza morbidity. Naturally, each flu season has a different starting point and therefore, a comparison was made between different time points of the year but similar in terms of flu activity.”