Skopje, 18 January 2024 (MIA) - According to a Public Health Institute’s report for the period from Jan. 8 to Jan. 14, 2024, North Macedonia has registered 1,182 flu cases, which is a 15.3 percent increase compared to the previous week. 

The number of reported cases in the second week of 2024, compared to the second week of last season, is down 12.2 percent, whereas compared to the number for the second week of the typical epidemic curve modeled over the past 13 seasons, it is up 32.6 percent. 

Out of 49 tests carried out in the Institute's laboratory, 26 people tested positive for Influenza, 22 А(H1)pdm09, 1 Influenza А(H3) and 3 Influenza А - non-subtype. In addition, there were five cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and one case of SARS-CoV-2.

In terms of age groups, 639 cases were registered in those aged 15-64, 205 were children aged 5-14, 167 were children aged up to 4 years old, and 171 people aged over 65.

The highest incidence was registered among children aged up to 4 years. 

The majority of the cases were registered in Skopje-186, followed by Bitola-168, Debar-153, Tetovo-143, Gostivar-123, with the number of registered cases in other cities at ≤100.

One flu-related death was registered in the reported week. The patient was from Gostivar, aged 65, and was hospitalized at the Infectious Diseases Clinic in Skopje with underlying medical conditions. 

Photo: MIA archive