Winter viruses have begun to spread actively in European countries. According to medical institutions, health care systems are facing a ‘triple threat’ of diseases, Euronews reported.
“The impact of winter viruses on health, the social sector, and the economy is enormous,” Antoine Flahault, director of the Global Health Foundation at the University of Geneva, told Euronews Health. “The serious forms of these infections, even in rare cases, significantly contribute to the overloading of hospitals during an epidemic, considering the scale of winter epidemics,” he added.
According to the European Respiratory Virus Infection Surveillance System (ERVISS), the number of people visiting doctors in the European Union and the European Economic Area remains at an expected level for this time of year.
Rick Meli, MD, chief of inflammatory diseases at the Children’s Hospital in the United States, said that it is still too early to predict how this year will unfold. However, he noted that the COVID-19 epidemic has disrupted the typical spread of respiratory diseases, such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). “Although I wouldn’t expect a triple epidemic, you could have RSV, followed by complications, and a baseline that could spike at any time due to COVID.”
Influenza is an infectious respiratory disease caused by viruses, leading to symptoms such as fever and cough. In severe cases, it can result in death.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), weather-related epidemics primarily occur in winter in temperate climate zones, while sporadic outbreaks can happen in tropical regions.
According to ERVISS, at the end of November, the flu was circulating at a low level in the countries of the European Union and the European Economic Area, but an increase was observed in some other countries.
Another common winter illness in Europe is respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which causes flu-like symptoms but can be dangerous for infants and older adults.
According to health authorities, an RSV epidemic has emerged in Europe this year, with the number of positive tests on the rise. In its latest report, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) warned that all countries should be prepared for an increase in RSV activity in the coming weeks.
According to the ECDC, children are most affected by RSV, although older adults are also at risk. In contrast, the incidence of COVID-19 is decreasing. The ECDC reports that the rate of COVID-19 cases is lower than or similar to that of this time in 2023.
‘COVID will be less affected by the seasons than other respiratory diseases because it will circulate year-round in successive waves,’ said Antoine Flahault.
“Therefore, there is a high probability that one of them will coincide with an epidemic of seasonal influenza or bronchiolitis (RSV).”
Rick Meli added that there are other respiratory diseases, such as pneumococcal pneumonia or adenovirus, but COVID-19, influenza, and RSV are the ones to watch out for because they can often be more severe than others.
Norovirus, which causes vomiting and diarrhea, is another virus that is common in winter and spring. These strains are transmitted in crowded and poorly ventilated areas, which may explain why they are more prevalent during the winter, Flahault said.
“We spend more time inside the rooms and open the windows less,” he said.
“Improving the microbiological quality of indoor air and wearing FFP2 masks can also help prevent the spread of all respiratory germs, such as COVID-19, strep, RSV, chickenpox, measles, whooping cough, and pneumonia,” Flahault added.
“Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect the population from highly contagious diseases, hospitalizations, and death,” ECDC Chief Scientific Officer Peter Kramarge told Euronews Health.
“Since many countries are still far from achieving adequate protection of the target groups, it is very important to increase vaccinations against seasonal influenza and COVID-19, as the winter weather has already started,” Kramarzh added.
ECDC also advises people to stay home if they have respiratory symptoms, wash their hands frequently, and ventilate rooms.
“The sad truth is that COVID has simply reminded us of the importance of simple measures that can actually reduce the risk of transmission to people who are susceptible or vulnerable,” said Rick Meli of Boston Children’s Hospital. “It is important to maintain cleanliness by washing your hands, taking time to walk in the fresh air when you are sick, and avoiding contact with vulnerable people.”
The European office of the WHO also advises wearing a mask in certain situations. For example, if you are at risk of severe COVID-19 or suspect you have COVID-19, it is important to consider the health of others at this time.
