Between January 13 and 19, in total, 2,696 people were confirmed as having respiratory viral infections and 42 percent of those were children.

Children under the age of five have the highest rate of influenza. 56.5 percent of all laboratory-confirmed influenza samples were children and adolescents under the age of 19 and of those the majority were under five year.

Preliminary data from the Health and Welfare Information Center showed 13 patients with influenza virus required hospitalization last week.

The Health Board said influenza is on the rise. The intensity of the disease is estimated to be low and the spread of the flu is widespread. 

Since the beginning of the season, revised data show 104 patients have been hospitalized, with 65.7 percent of those in need of care under 19 years old.

The have been laboratory confirmation of 85 influenza viruses, of which 67 were influenza A and 18 influenza B. 

Of the other respiratory viruses, the number of people affected by RS virus (20 percent) has increased, but influenza continues to dominate.

The European Influenza Surveillance Network reports the intensity of influenza is still low in most EU Member States, the intensity has diseased in Latvia, and in Greece and Ireland it is estimated to be medium.

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