Overview
- Rospotrebnadzor says seasonal respiratory illnesses are rising, with about 2,900 influenza cases recorded in week 46 and ARVI incidence also increasing.
- Laboratory surveillance identifies A(H3N2) as the dominant strain, and detected viruses match the vaccine strains for the current season.
- Health officials emphasize continued immunization to prevent severe disease, highlighting pregnant women, young children, older adults, and people with chronic or immunodeficiency conditions as higher-risk groups.
- More than 66 million people have been vaccinated against flu nationwide, covering 45.2% of the population, according to Rospotrebnadzor.
- Dmitriy Lioznov of the Smorodintsev Influenza Research Institute confirms the uptick but says it is premature to declare an epidemic; earlier, the agency reported a sixfold weekly jump in flu incidence.