General Flu Positivity Rate for Italy is 17 Percent and 40.5 Percent in Hospital Settings with COVID-19 Cases Rising
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Jan 10, 2026 17 hours, 14 minutes ago
Medical News: Holiday Reporting Masks True Burden
Italy begins 2026 amid increasing circulation of respiratory pathogens, though the latest national surveillance figures are distorted by Christmas closures. The RespiVirNet report for 29 December–04 January (Week 2026-01) shows reduced medical consultations and delayed reporting, leading officials to caution that current numbers likely underestimate viral spread. Acute respiratory infections (ARI) in the community were recorded at 14.1 cases per 1,000 residents—technically below epidemic thresholds—but the lowest figures coincide with seasonal clinic closures. Children aged 0–4 remain the most affected demographic, with approximately 37 cases per 1,000.
Flu positivity climbs as hospitals confront rising COVID-19 and RSV burdens.
Influenza Dominates Community Circulation
Sampling from sentinel physicians confirms that influenza is the primary virus in circulation. Community positivity reached 17 percent, while the hospital setting—where only more serious patients are tested—returned a strikingly higher rate of 40.5 percent. Rhinoviruses and non-SARS coronaviruses continue to circulate widely, helping maintain ARI incidence even as routine care slowed.
Of 3,472 respiratory samples processed nationwide in Week 01, influenza A accounted for 39.1 percent, outpacing RSV at 3.8 percent and SARS-CoV-2 at 1.6 percent. Pediatric and adolescent specimens featured the greatest number of coinfections, reflecting exposure before schools closed for the holidays.
Hospitals Signal Intensifying Activity
Hospital virus sequencing and PCR testing show influenza establishing a firm foothold among older adults, those with chronic conditions and, most critically, the unvaccinated. Severe and complicated influenza notifications remain comparable to the same period last season, yet the overwhelming majority involve patients who did not receive this winter’s vaccine. A(H1N1)pdm09 continues to drive most severe cases, whereas A(H3N2) currently dominates overall circulation.
Genetic profiling reveals 65.8 percent of influenza A viruses belong to the H3N2 lineage within subclade K (clade 2a.3a.1), while 34.2 percent are A(H1N1)pdm09 from subclade D.3.1 (clade 5a.2a.1). Both clusters align with strains incorporated in current vaccines, reinforcing the value of completing immunization.
Concurrent Avian Influenza Surveillance
Italy is also tracking the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1). Forty-seven poultry outbreaks have been confirmed as of 8 January, alongside more than 160 detections among wild birds and a single infected fox in Friuli Venezia Giulia. No human cases have occurred. Researchers have detected a mammalian-adaptation PB2 E627K mutation in the fox virus and a rare poultry mutation of uncertain implication, underscoring the importance of early genomic detection and rigorous monitoring.
Path Ahead for January
Officials warn that the picture is likely to change rapidly as schools reopen and reporting returns to norma
l volume. With more than 12,846 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases at the turn of the year and strong influenza circulation, Italy faces a multi-virus winter wave with unpredictable overlap. Vaccination for influenza and COVID-19—particularly for individuals aged 60 and above—remains the decisive tool for reducing hospital stress, complications and deaths. This
Medical News report demonstrates that, rather than tapering off, respiratory infections continue to climb, and the coming weeks will determine whether Italy experiences a typical seasonal peak or a prolonged surge.
Reference:
https://www.epicentro.iss.it/sorveglianza-infezioni-respiratorie-acute/rapporto
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https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/influenza-or-flu
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/coronavirus
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