Catalan Clinics Resume Operations Post-New Year, Braced for Gripe Surge
Ambulatory clinics in Catalonia resumed operations on Thursday following the New Year’s Day holiday, with a sharp focus on the anticipated spike in flu cases. Preliminary indications suggest a substantial increase in flu cases over the coming weeks, with the majority of hospitalizations occurring among individuals aged 60 and above.
The Catalan Department of Health has been stressing the importance of vaccination, particularly for vulnerable populations, to prevent complications. The flu incidence rate reached 92.8 diagnoses per 100,000 inhabitants in the last week of December, approaching the threshold for moderate transmission, which health officials anticipate will be crossed this week.
Historically, flu seasons tend to start earlier than this, with previous years reaching high transmission levels by now. However, this year’s flu season appears to be delayed. Last year at this time, primary care diagnostics for flu had already surpassed the threshold for high transmission, and in 2023, moderate transmission had been exceeded. Current underdiagnosis is thought to be linked to the festive holidays, and as normalcy resumes, particularly with the return to school, a clearer picture of the respiratory viruses’ impact in Catalonia will emerge.
The low vaccination rate against Covid, the lowest since the pandemic, coupled with a significant proportion of those over 60 remaining unvaccinated against the flu, contributes to concerns about a severe outbreak. Among seniors, flu vaccination coverage stands at 44.75%, down from 46.28% in 2023, 52.2% in 2022, and 56.2% in 2021. In response, health authorities have facilitated access to no appointment necessary vaccinations across the region.
Bringing good news, the transmission level of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has shown a slight increase, signaling the end of this season’s peak. Currently, the distribution of viruses reveals that rhinovirus is most prevalent (33.3% of samples), followed by the flu (31.7%) and RSV (17%).
In a lighter note, Nayeli was the first Catalan of 2025, born at the Parc Taulí Hospital in Sabadell, Barcelona, at the stroke of midnight, seconds after the New Year’s chiming. Her mother, Juana, is a resident of Sabadell. Nayeli weighed 2.190 kilos and is in good health. Minutes later, Siena, another baby girl, was born at the Sant Joan de Déu Hospital in Barcelona, weighing 3.070 kilos.
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