Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
Between 2 and 8 November 2026, the RespiVirNet surveillance system of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità estimated nearly 478,000 new cases of acute respiratory infections.
However, contrary to what one might think, this is not a flu epidemic: the real culprits in this early phase are other pathogens, particularly rhinoviruses (25.7%), followed by parainfluenza viruses and adenoviruses, while actual flu accounts for only a small percentage of positive cases.
The hardest hit are young children (in the 0–5 age group, there are nearly 30 cases per 1,000 patients), with inevitable repercussions on family life, work and the organisation of the National Health Service. The report highlights three key points for managing the cold months as best as possible:
- Beware of antibiotics: as these are mostly viral infections, using antibiotics without a prescription is useless and fuels antibiotic resistance.
- The role of local healthcare: most cases do not require hospital admission; an efficient local healthcare system (GPs, paediatricians, pharmacies) is essential to prevent unnecessary visits to emergency rooms.
- Prevention and planning: the incidence is in line with last year, but action must be taken in advance by strengthening prevention and vaccination campaigns for at-risk groups.
