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Switzerland experiences worst flu epidemic in decades: report

Xinhua, July 6, 2015 Adjust font size:

A Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) report indicated on Monday that Switzerland experienced one of its worst flu bouts in decades between September 2014 and April 2015, with as many as 276,000 people consulting a doctor for influenza-related illnesses.

Between early January and the end of March this year, the outbreak reached epidemic proportions (over 70 consultations per 100,000 people), with a peak recorded halfway through the pandemic's twelve-week span.

According to figures, some 3,393 medical consultations per 100,000 people were made over the season, with as many as 445 consultations per 100,000 inhabitants registered during the pandemic's apogee in early February.

Statistics furthermore indicate that the mortality rate of those aged over 64 years increased significantly over the period, with FOPH linking the rise in morbidity with the widespread circulation of the influenza virus in the confederation.

Most of the virus strains recorded in the country during the season were Influenza A viruses, though Influenza B viruses became dominant towards the end of the period, as they did in Europe.

FOPH noted that the flu vaccination for the 2014-2015 season only partially protected the population from the viruses in circulation, and that it will be modified for the coming season.

Data shows that the South-Eastern cantons of Grisons and Ticino suffered the most, while Switzerland's Western cantons of Geneva, Neuchatel, Vaud and Valais were the least affected.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), annual flue epidemics are thought to result in about 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness around the world, with 250,000 to 500,000 related deaths. Endit