Incidence of respiratory infections increases in WHO European Region
By Alimat Aliyeva
With the onset of cold weather in the WHO European region, a significant increase in cases of respiratory infections occurred, Azernews reports.
About half of the countries in the region report an increase in the number of patients with fever and cough. Viral diseases are not uncommon in winter, but they can pose a serious danger to vulnerable groups of the population. The WHO recommends not to neglect simple hygiene rules and get vaccinated.
Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) warn that the spread of infections poses a threat to children under the age of five, as well as people with concomitant diseases and people over 65 years of age.
"A significant seasonal increase in respiratory pathogens is expected. It may be due to an increase in morbidity among children who were previously protected during the pandemic," explained Dr. Marc-Alain Widdowson, head of the Highly Dangerous Pathogens Department at the WHO Regional Office in Europe.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a seasonal virus, the peak incidence of which occurs in autumn-winter and spring, causes acute infections in infants and children. Common symptoms of RSV include runny nose, decreased appetite, cough, sneezing, fever and shortness of breath. Doctors note that although in most cases RSV ends in complete recovery, the virus can cause more serious complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia.
A sharp increase in hospitalizations due to RSV in infants over the past five weeks indicates increased activity of the virus. In children under six months of age, RSV accounts for 20 percent of cases of acute lower respiratory tract infections.
COVID-19 continues to pose a serious threat, especially to people over the age of 65. Despite the relatively low rate of hospitalizations compared to last year, half of the countries in the region that provided data noted an increase in hospitalizations, including the Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, Latvia and Slovakia.
Doctors continue to insist on the relevance of recommendations for vaccination against COVID-19 and influenza, especially for high-risk groups. Simple measures such as regular hand washing, home treatment for illness, providing effective ventilation in crowded places and vaccination can significantly reduce the spread of viruses and protect the most vulnerable.
The season of respiratory infections continues, therefore, WHO suggests that governments cooperate with vulnerable groups of the population to stimulate vaccination and take additional measures to protect health.
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