KNOWLEDGE 2025 flu season has proven to be one of the most intense in the last 15 years Influenza season hard on US and Europe Severe influenza wave challenges public health systems The 2025 influenza season has proven to be exceptionally severe in both the United States and Europe, with activity levels not observed for over a decade. The current influenza wave thus poses significant challenges to the public health [1-3]. Up to 650,000 deaths by influenza this season Every year during the winter season, seasonal influenza circulates in all parts of the world, causing epidemics of varying sizes. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) there are around a billion cases of seasonal influenza annually worldwide, including 3–5 million cases of severe illness and up to 650,000 deaths [4]. The 2024-2025 flu season has been of particular severity in the United States and in Europe. Most flu hospitalisations in the US in over a decade In the United States this season’s flu wave has had a magnitude not seen since the 2009 swine flu pandemic [5]. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there have been at least 43 million illnesses, 560,000 hospitalizations and 24,000 deaths so far in the US [6]. The peak of the season was reached in late February, with over 6 flu-related hospitalisations per 100,000 inhabitants. The greatest impact in secondary care has been seen in adults 65 years old and above [5]. Outpatient respiratory illness currently decreased but as of end of March 2025 remains above the national baseline for the sixteenth consecutive week [6]. Amid the worst flu season in 15 years, health officials raised concerns about rare but serious neurological complications in children following influenza infections as in approximately 13% of pediatric flu death an influenza-associated encephalopathy or encephalitis has been reported. These cases are to be further investigated [7]. As the flu is still widespread getting vaccinated is strongly recommended [2]. Significant burden on European public health systems Also, in Europe the 2024-2025 flu season was particularly intense. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reports a significant burden on public health systems due to the combination of a severe flu season and circulating infections with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) [8, 9]. While hospital admissions due to influenza have been observed in all age groups to date, individuals aged 65 years and older tend to have the highest risk of hospitalisation and severe outcomes [8, 9]. Hand hygiene crucial to prevent infections With high flu activity taking preventive measures remains critical in reducing the spread and severity of illness. The WHO recommends getting vaccinated, frequent hand hygiene and staying home when sick as actions to reduce your and other’s risk of getting ill and developing severe disease. This underscores once more the role of hand hygiene as a simple but highly effective means in preventing infections such as influenza [2]. Reference 1. https://www.paho.org/en/documents/epidemiological-alert-increased-activity-seasonal-influenza-virus-and-other-respiratory (accessed on 25/03/2025) 2. https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/22-01-2025-influenza-season-well-underway-across-the-who-european-region--protect-yourself--protect-those-around-you (accessed on 25/03/2025) 3. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-this-years-flu-season-is-the-worst-in-more-than-a-decade/ (accessed on 25/03/2025) 4. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/influenza-(seasonal) (accessed on 25/03/2025) 5. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/php/surveillance/in-season-severity.html (accessed on 25/03/2025) 6. https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2025-week-11.html (accessed on 25/03/2025) 7. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7406a3.htm (accessed on 25/03/2025) 8. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/communicable-disease-threats-report-15-21-march-2025-week-12 (accessed on 25/03/2025) 9. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/news-events/acute-respiratory-infections-eueea-epidemiological-update-and-current-public-health-0 (accessed on 25/03/2025) 12
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDU5MjM=