In Switzerland, the influenza virus begins to spread at the same time as the Covid-19 virus. Some hospitals are testing patients for both viruses and cases of double positives have been identified.
The flu season begins in French-speaking Switzerland. At CHUV, patients are now being tested for this virus and the Covid-19 virus.
“We started testing both influenza and Covid over the Christmas and New Year period for emergencies. But since Friday, we are testing everyone more widely, including for example people who come in without flu symptoms who might just come in for appendicitis. worm in the hospital,” on Saturday 7:30 p.m. Gilbert Grob, an infectious disease specialist and director of the Institute of Microbiology at CHUV.
rare phenomenon
Since December 19, this laboratory has detected 50 cases of influenza by PCR, including two patients who also had coronavirus.
In 2020, when the two viruses were circulating at the same time, only 2 co-infections were observed in CHUV out of 554 influenza cases. Therefore, this phenomenon remains rare. This can be explained by the inflammatory reaction of the body caused by the Covid virus.
“With the 2020 coronavirus, there has been a strong inflammation with a cyclone of cytokines that can prevent the flu from reappearing the second time around. On the other hand, the opposite is not true: If you have the flu, you can get infected. The Coronavirus,” Gilbert identifies. Group.
In Valais, the hospital is also systematically testing the virus for the two viruses in hospitalized patients. Five cases of double positives have been reported. According to the preliminary results, there will be no additional risk to the patients involved.
Aurelie Colon / FX
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