tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Open Forum Infect Dis
. 2024 Mar 20;11(4)
fae163.
doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofae163. eCollection 2024 Apr. An Intense Out-of-Season Rebound of Influenza Activity After the Relaxation of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Restrictions in Beijing, China
Li Zhang[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Wei Duan[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Chunna Ma[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Jiaojiao Zhang[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ying Sun[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Jiaxin Ma[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Yingying Wang[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Daitao Zhang[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Quanyi Wang[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Jue Liu[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Min Liu[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the changes of epidemic characteristics of influenza activity pre- and post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Beijing, China.
Methods: Epidemiologic data were collected from the influenza surveillance system in Beijing. We compared epidemic intensity, epidemic onset and duration, and influenza transmissibility during the 2022-2023 season with pre-COVID-19 seasons from 2014 to 2020.
Results: The overall incidence rate of influenza in the 2022-2023 season was significantly higher than that of the pre-COVID-19 period, with the record-high level of epidemic intensity in Beijing. The onset and duration of the influenza epidemic period in 2022-2023 season was notably later and shorter than that of the 2014-2020 seasons. Maximum daily instantaneous reproduction number (R[SUB]t[/SUB]) of the 2022-2023 season (R[SUB]t[/SUB] = 2.31) was much higher than that of the pre-COVID-19 period (R[SUB]t[/SUB] = 1.49). The incidence of influenza A(H1N1) and A(H3N2) were the highest among children aged 0-4 years and 5-14 years, respectively, in the 2022-2023 season.
Conclusions: A late, intense, and short-term peak influenza activity was observed in the 2022-2023 season in Beijing. Children <15 years old were impacted the most by the interruption of influenza circulation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Maintaining continuous surveillance and developing targeted public health strategies of influenza is necessary.
Keywords: COVID-19; incidence; influenza; instantaneous reproduction number; surveillance.
. 2024 Mar 20;11(4)
fae163.doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofae163. eCollection 2024 Apr. An Intense Out-of-Season Rebound of Influenza Activity After the Relaxation of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Restrictions in Beijing, China
Li Zhang[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Wei Duan[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Chunna Ma[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Jiaojiao Zhang[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ying Sun[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Jiaxin Ma[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Yingying Wang[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Daitao Zhang[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Quanyi Wang[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Jue Liu[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Min Liu[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 38585185
- PMCID: PMC10995958
- DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofae163
Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the changes of epidemic characteristics of influenza activity pre- and post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Beijing, China.
Methods: Epidemiologic data were collected from the influenza surveillance system in Beijing. We compared epidemic intensity, epidemic onset and duration, and influenza transmissibility during the 2022-2023 season with pre-COVID-19 seasons from 2014 to 2020.
Results: The overall incidence rate of influenza in the 2022-2023 season was significantly higher than that of the pre-COVID-19 period, with the record-high level of epidemic intensity in Beijing. The onset and duration of the influenza epidemic period in 2022-2023 season was notably later and shorter than that of the 2014-2020 seasons. Maximum daily instantaneous reproduction number (R[SUB]t[/SUB]) of the 2022-2023 season (R[SUB]t[/SUB] = 2.31) was much higher than that of the pre-COVID-19 period (R[SUB]t[/SUB] = 1.49). The incidence of influenza A(H1N1) and A(H3N2) were the highest among children aged 0-4 years and 5-14 years, respectively, in the 2022-2023 season.
Conclusions: A late, intense, and short-term peak influenza activity was observed in the 2022-2023 season in Beijing. Children <15 years old were impacted the most by the interruption of influenza circulation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Maintaining continuous surveillance and developing targeted public health strategies of influenza is necessary.
Keywords: COVID-19; incidence; influenza; instantaneous reproduction number; surveillance.