Stuffy nose, cough, body aches, fever, the flu wave had Switzerland for a week. Almost everyone was affected in some Form from her: on The train, coughing, sitting close neighbours dangerous, in the office colleagues were, to was the home of the sick Partner, or you caught something. The good news is that The worst is over.
Since last week, the flu is on the retreat. The peak was reached this year between the 11. and the 17. February, as 306 of 100’000 inhabitants, due to a flu-like illness, a family doctor or a doctor consulted.
This is significantly less than last year. In addition, the seasonal epidemic threshold of 68 suspected cases per 100’000 inhabitants was exceeded only at the beginning of January – much later than last season, as the Figures show, has asked the Federal office for health (BAG), the editorial Board of Tamedia.
In the past year were weekly registered up to 344 cases per 100’000 inhabitants. Extrapolated to the nearly 340’000 people, or 4 percent of the population – were of the highest value since the year 2000. In addition, a multi-peaked epidemic occurred for the first Time since 2003, again: Just at the Moment, as the worst seemed to be over, reported the BAG is suddenly a significant increase in. Only then can the flu from the rose shaft.
this Is also in this year possible? “No, the Situation is quite different. It is the same virus does not circulate,” says Daniel cook, head of the division of Communicable diseases at the BAG, upon request. 2017/18 have, of all things, dominated the virus strain called B Yamagata, against the many people were not vaccinated.
In Switzerland, two different Vaccine combinations are available, of which four strains of the covers and the other only three. B Yamagata is included in the four-way vaccination, but not in the triple vaccination. In the result, many people became ill in the last year of the flu, although you can be against this had to vaccinate.
In this season dominated by the two A virus strains, which are covered by both the triple and the quadruple vaccine. In 48 percent of the viruses detected were those with the strain H1N1. Almost as many were associated with H3N2, and the Rest of the tribes (not subtype capitalized) A viruses. In contrast to last Winter, the B-viruses do not circulate. The flu vaccine had this Time, so the key ingredients.
the timing and the intensity of the wave of Flu from year to year varies, but has nothing to do with the vaccination. Their influence on the circulation of flu is rather low. Because according to the BAG only 18 percent of the overall Swiss average Swiss vaccinate.
Other factors play a larger role, such as the climate and the weather. “Viruses like cold and damp, therefore, they also occur more in the Winter. If it is warm and Sunny, they can survive less well, and spread less,” says Daniel cook. It also depends on the immunity of the population. This could not be measured. “If, however, viruses do not circulate in the last couple of years in circulation, the more people are immune, because they have developed antibodies,” says cook. Then there is also a less severe flu wave.
2013/14 about circulated during the entire season almost exclusively known A viruses, which were covered with the vaccine very well. The BAG showed in the result, the weakest flu epidemic since commencement of Monitoring in the year 1987.
“The more people are immune, the later in the year, the flu wave is coming.”Daniel Koch, Federal office of public health
However, the viruses mutate constantly, a little bit and adapt. In some years, they are therefore more aggressive and make more people sick. In 2009/10, for instance, new types of Viruses appeared. Accordingly, early and strong flu. In the beginning of December, it was at its peak. For comparison: 2005/06 and 2011/12, this was in March. “The more people are immune, the later in the year, the flu wave is coming,” says cook.
how to protect yourself from the flu These simple Tricks will help. Video: AFP, Reuters, Storyful, Youtube
a role age plays. As risk groups children and the elderly apply small. Every year, there are excess deaths during the flu season, in 2016, it was 1600. “Such Figures are to be treated with caution,” says cook. “It is often older people that are due to other diseases. In addition, it does not measure the deaths due to influenza, but the excess mortality.” Thus, the increase in the number of deaths during the season is meant to be, compared with the same Season of the year is normally expected mortality. It also gives an indication of how aggressive the virus.
so Far, the BAG was actually that A virus had angriffiger as the B-viruses. After last season, as the B viruses of the Yamagata-line-dominated and many people fell ill, had to be revised this assumption.
presumed to be in The BAG, that only every third visit to the Fifth doctor.
If the aggressiveness of the flu virus is high, in principle, more and more people to the family doctor or to the house doctor. Report them to the BAG of the suspected cases. How high is the number of cases of Switzerland is Swiss but in fact, can only be estimated. Because many take no help even if you fall ill. The BAG is believed, that only about every third visit to the Fifth doctor.
How many there are exactly, is to be determined according to Daniel, cooking is very difficult and also different every year. “We must not forget that in the Winter also, cold viruses circulate that are less dangerous and only a cold cause.” The boundaries between a cold and the flu are often fluent. Sure is that each Flu season is unique in terms of intensity, duration, the circulating strains of the Virus and the impact it has on public health.
(editing Tamedia)
Created: 27.02.2019, 12:09 PM
