Respiratory Disease Epidemic in Europe: Mandatory Mask Requirements in Spain and Italy

2024-01-09 05:18:59
Due to the rapid rise in respiratory diseases, some regions in Spain have restored the mandatory mask requirement in medical institutions, and the government is also considering extending this requirement nationwide.Picture: Zeng Junqiu/photo

Newtalk News

Various viruses such as influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are threatening Europe, causing a sharp increase in the number of patients and putting medical resources under pressure. Some areas in Spain have restored mandatory mask requirements in medical institutions, and the government is also considering Extend this provision nationwide. In addition, respiratory infection rates and influenza hospitalization rates in intensive care units have reached record highs in countries such as Italy and Portugal.

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A large-scale transmission event occurred in Spain during the Christmas period, causing a 75% increase in influenza cases in the last week of 2023, and a significant increase in cases of severe pneumonia! Although only 10% of cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed at the end of last year, the number of hospitalizations for people over 80 years old increased sharply, and many children were infected with RSV, which also led to a sharp increase in the hospitalization rate of infants under 1 year old. According to foreign media “Archyde.com”, the severe epidemic has prompted some areas in Spain to require hospital patients, visitors and staff to wear masks since last week. On the 8th, the central government expressed its hope to extend this mandatory requirement to medical institutions across the country. Due to the opposition of some local health officials, a final decision will be made as soon as tomorrow (10th).

The epidemic situation in Italy is also very urgent. According to data from the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), the number of infectious diseases such as influenza and COVID-19 in the last two weeks of 2023 has exceeded that during the COVID-19 epidemic and reached a record high. In the 52nd week last year, there were 17.5 cases per 1,000 people. , compared with 17.7 cases the previous week. Even so, the Italian government has no intention of re-implementing the mask order. Experts have analyzed that the increase in infection rates may be related to the fact that most people do not wear masks, and also to the reduction in vaccinations among the people.

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