Department of Health The increase in cases of pneumonia in children in Catalonia is due to an increase in the circulation of Mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria, according to preliminary analyses. The Civic Data Portal confirms that there has been a higher-than-expected increase in cases of pneumonia diagnosed in primary care, mainly affecting children under 14 years of age. The department continues to monitor and analyze this indicator with special attention in light of the childhood pneumonia epidemic in China. Overall, between December 4 and 10, cases of acute respiratory infections decreased in Catalonia, but Salot attributes this to public holidays during the week.
The infection rate last week reached 607 infected people per 100,000 people, representing 47,800 cases. The most common virus was rhinovirus with 24% of samples, followed by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (17%), COVID (16.1%) and influenza (12.4%).
All diagnoses have decreased, but were affected by the public holidays last week. Previously, influenza, pneumonia, bronchiolitis and COVID-19 had been on the rise for several weeks.
Thus, primary care diagnosed 3,494 cases of Covid-19, while the previous week there were 4,563 cases. However, the number of people admitted due to coronavirus increased, with 473 people admitted to traditional beds, 102 more than the previous week, and 8 people admitted to the intensive care unit. The revenue figure for a traditional household is also likely to be affected by holidays during the week.
As for respiratory syncytial virus (the most common cause of bronchiolitis), 797 cases were recorded, compared to 1,025 the previous week. Also, 3,898 cases of influenza were diagnosed in influenza control centers, an increase from 4,502 cases in the previous period. The number of pneumonia cases reached 1,943, while 2,120 cases were diagnosed in the previous week. The upward trend of the epidemic wave of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus that began 5 weeks ago continues, and the relative decline this week, which was also observed in the same period in previous years, may be due to a decrease in the use of health care services during the holidays.
Vaccination coverage for people vulnerable to coronavirus is 57% for those over 80 years of age and 43% for people aged 70-79 years. Coverage against influenza in these age groups is higher, at 64% and 50%, respectively.
The total number of hospital emergencies as of 4 December 2023 is 18,617, of which 1,083 were admissions (5.8%). Emergency room use is increasing in all age groups, but both indicators remain within the normal range and the percentage of emergency room visits that end in admission does not change.
Surveillance of Streptococcus pyogenes diseases
Currently, up to week 49, 3675 cases of streptococcal pharyngitis (37.7% of the total number of pharyngitis cases) and 288 cases of scarlet fever have been recorded.
Its incidence is declining, with 47 infections per 100,000 population for streptococcal pharyngitis and 4 infections per 100,000 population for scarlet fever, maintaining the peak trend of the first epidemic wave of Streptococcus pyogenes infection.
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