Europe's Winter Flu Season Starts

Utrecht, The Netherlands and Stockholm, Sweden (ots/PRNewswire) -
The 'flu' has arrived in Europe, according to the European Influenza
Surveillance Scheme (EISS) and the European Centre for Disease
Prevention and Control (ECDC). The two organisations confirm an
upsurge in the number of laboratory confirmed cases of influenza in
several European countries.

As of this week, 13 European countries are reporting significant
influenza activity (Austria, Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Ireland,
Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain,
Switzerland and the UK).(i) This increase in influenza activity,
which can be expected at this time of the year, is likely to spread
to other European countries in the near future. If the virus behaves
as it has in previous years then it will gradually move eastwards and
northwards during the coming weeks.(ii)

ECDC estimates that seasonal influenza is responsible for between
40,000 and 220,000 excess deaths in Europe each year, depending upon
the severity of the influenza season.(iii) So far, this year's
seasonal influenza has been predominantly caused by a new strain of
the A(H1) influenza virus which is usually associated with mild
epidemics.(iv) In the last 15 years, H1 infection rates have been
highest in young children but so far this winter, influenza has shown
high infection rates in the working population in four countries
(Ireland, Spain, Switzerland and UK). Following a World Health
Organization recommendation in February last year, this new strain
replaced the old H1 strain in this season's flu vaccine to provide
more optimal protection.

EISS chairman, Professor Koos van der Velden, explained that
"Usually over 70% of doctor consultations for influenza are for
children up to 14 years. However this year healthcare services should
be gearing up to an increase in demand for doctor consultations, not
only from concerned parents, but also from people of working age."

ECDC is supporting the work of EISS to monitor influenza cases
across Europe, improve knowledge of how the disease spreads and so
strengthen Europe's defences against it. Zsuzsanna Jakab, Director of
ECDC, pointed out that the greatest burden is still likely to be felt
by the elderly and chronically ill: "Influenza is a disease that
needs to be taken seriously. It is unpleasant for anyone who catches
it, and can be fatal for older people and people with chronic
conditions such as heart or lung disease. People in these high risk
groups should protect themselves by getting vaccinated."

For full press release (and references), please go to:

http://www.eiss.org/documents/Europe_winter_flu_season_starts_24-
01-08.pdf

ots Originaltext: European Influenza Surveillance Scheme (EISS)
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

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