Flu cases rose by 60 per cent in the holiday season when compared to last year, surveillance data shows.
Community surveillance for flu, carried out by the health authorities with the help of general practitioners, reported 65 cases per 1,000 doctor consultations this season, the Health Ministry said.
During the same period last year, surveillance picked up 41 cases per 1,000 consultations.
However, the Health Ministry said the increase this year was in line with similar patterns observed in the past.
Doctors have pointed out that the warmer weather over the 2015-2016 holiday period had stymied the flu season. This explains the comparatively high increase this year with the return of more winter weather.
But the authorities are expecting the flu season to peak again over the coming weeks.
“The peak is expected in a few weeks. Last year we had 133 cases per 1,000 GP consultations in the second week of February,” the ministry said.
This tallies with what respiratory physician Martin Balzan told Times of Malta earlier this week that a secondary peak could be expected after schools reopen on Monday. Colder weather is also forecast over the next few days.
Community surveillance provides the authorities with information that enables the general hospital to cope better with the flu season.
While general practitioners and pharmacists have been busy over the holiday period, doctors who spoke to the Times of Malta this week said the increase in ailments was not alarming. They noted however that this year the peak hit during the school holidays, putting the healthcare infrastructure under stress as a result of people being out on vacation.
Doctors have reported seeing cases of common cold, respiratory tract infections and flu.
Director General of Health Regulation Charmaine Gauci has urged people to take the seasonal influenza vaccine, insisting it was not too late.
The flu jab was offered for free last November for the elderly, children and those suffering from chronic diseases.
The Health Ministry said 70,350 people took the influenza vaccine, an increase of 4,100 vaccinations over the previous year.
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control preliminary vaccine effectiveness estimates from Scandinavia suggest levels of effectiveness towards the upper range of those seen between 2011 and 2015.
In its risk assessment report of seasonal influenza, released just before Christmas, the EU body said influenza viruses, particularly the A(H3N2) strain, started circulating early across Europe this season.
If this strain continues to predominate, the centre warned that people over 65 could be most severely affected.