In the Zenica-Doboj canton, the flu season had an unusually early peak. Influenza type A dominates, while the number of patients is now declining.
“This season’s “peak” of the flu virus in the Zenica-Doboj canton came unusually earlier than it was the case in the past few years, and the current numbers of infected people are at the level of previous years,” said Feni cantonal epidemiologist and head of the Epidemiology and Hygiene Department of the Institute for Health and Food Safety in Zenica, Alis Kozica.
Influenza virus type A dominates with about 94 percent, while about six percent were cases of corona virus or SARS-CoV-2.
“In the period between the 40th and 50th week of last year, we had an increase in the number of acute respiratory infections – seasonal respiratory infections that occur at the same time as the flu (ARI) and diseases with symptoms similar to the flu (ILI), while severe forms of pneumonia that can be linked to the flu (SARI) – although this year’s flu was quite severe for many, we had no reported cases. There were no SARI cases last year either. However, what is characteristic of this year’s flu season is the data that the ‘peak’ of ARI infections, and therefore of ILI diseases, came unusually early – in week 50. Usually in our area, we have a ‘peak’ in February”, Kozica notes.
Thus, he points out, at this year’s “peak” – in the report for the 50th week, 2,645 ARI and 495 ILI cases were recorded, after which, in the last two weeks of last year, there was a drop in infected and sick people.
“According to the latest report, for the first week of this year, 1,436 ARI and 119 ILI cases were recorded in our canton, which is a significant and continuous decrease. Of course, we continue to monitor the situation, but, obviously, the cold has influenced the reduction of the number of infections, as well as the winter school vacation for elementary and high school students. We hope that the downward trend will continue, because children generally return to school on January 26” – he says Prawn.
The school vacation for students who are educated according to the Curriculum in the Croatian language, and who went on vacation before the Catholic Christmas, ends tomorrow, and the students will return to school on Monday, January 12. Pupils who are educated according to the NPP in Bosnian and Serbian will return to school on January 26, it says Acts.
