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People infected with both the common flu and the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus are more than twice as likely to die compared to people with only covid-19, according to an analysis by Public Health England (PHE).
PHE has reviewed cases from January to April 2020. The results also show that people with the two viruses at the same time are at increased risk of a course of serious illness, states in a news article in the renowned British Medical Journal ( BMJ).
Most of the cases of the so-called co-infection occurred among older people.
The data comes from a yet-to-be-peer-reviewed study published on medRxiv, but the study results are clearly something British health authorities trust.
– proof
The figures were made public when PHE recently launched an expanded flu vaccination program for England that will target 30 million people this winter, writes BMJ.
– Currently there is evidence that clearly indicates that co-infection with influenza and covid-19 gives poor results. Currently one of these diseases can be prevented with a vaccine, and that is the very important point, British infection control expert Jonathan Van-Tam told the press conference.
Researchers observed 19,256 people who were tested for influenza and SARS-CoV-2 from January 20 to April 25, 2020.
Among them, 58 people had both the common flu and coronavirus infection. 25 of these patients, or 43.1 percent, died.
20 of them were over 70 years old.
Risk more than double
Researchers have calculated that the probability of a fatal outcome was 2.27 times higher in people with coinfection compared to people who only had SARS-CoV-2.
The authors believe this suggests “possible synergistic effects” in coinfected people.
Additionally, the researchers found that the risk of testing positive for the coronavirus was 68 percent lower among people with proven common flu.
PHE emphasizes that this is in line with recent findings from New York, where fewer than 3 percent of people who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 had an influenza infection, while 13 percent who tested negative for SARS. -CoV-2 was positive for influenza.
– serious problems
Yvonne Doyle, PHE Medical Director, is clear in her message:
– There is evidence to suggest that influenza, covid-19 and other viruses can compete with each other. If you get both, you’re in serious trouble, and the people most at risk for infection may be the worst tolerant, says Doyle.
She believes the PHE data gives “an important signal” about the need to protect against the flu this year.
The Norwegian Health Directorate says that people in risk groups in Norway are also recommended to get vaccinated against the common flu this year.
– It is not surprising
– It is not surprising that the double infection by influenza and covid-19 increases mortality, especially among intensive care patients. Especially for older people, the flu can cause serious illness, assistant health director Espen Rostrup Nakstad tells Dagbladet, continuing:
– Contracting covid-19 at the same time or after the flu, therefore, will be a great strain on the body, especially on the respiratory system. This is one of the reasons why it is recommended that people in risk groups get vaccinated against influenza this year.
Nakstad believes that good vaccine coverage will also reduce the amount of hospital admissions and the need for coronavirus testing.
