Almost 478,000 people across Italy took to their beds with acute respiratory infections during the first week of November, matching infection rates recorded during the same period last season.
The figures come from the Higher Institute of Health in its initial RespiVirNet bulletin published on November 13, 2026. The data covers the week spanning November 2 to November 8, registering an overall incidence rate of 8.5 cases per 1,000 people.
“The first 478,000 cases in Italy confirm how important it is to have a timely, complete, and reliable monitoring system,” said Fabrizio Pregliasco, director of the School of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine at the University of Milan, as reported by RaiNews.
Since the surveillance network began operating in mid-October 2026, health authorities estimate approximately 1.74 million total cases of acute respiratory infections nationwide, according to Mondosanità.
The first bulletin of RespiVirNet, published by the Istituto superiore di sanità on November 13, already provides a significant snapshot of the 2026-2027 season, estimating 1,738,083 acute respiratory infection cases in the community since monitoring began in the week of October 12, as reported by the Istituto superiore di sanità.
This figure slightly exceeds the baseline threshold established for the current season, set at 8.01 cases per thousand, while remaining below the low intensity threshold of 13.77, according to the Istituto superiore di sanità.
These thresholds are calculated using the Moving Epidemic Method (MEM), developed by the Ecdc to estimate the start, duration, and intensity of epidemics based on data from previous seasons, as reported by the Istituto superiore di sanità.
Youngest children face the highest weekly incidence
Infection rates vary widely by age group, with infants and toddlers bearing the brunt of the early autumn wave. Children aged zero to four years old registered roughly 30 cases per 1,000 people during the first week of November.
Territorial data shows that infection levels remain at baseline across Friuli Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Tuscany, Umbria, and Sicily. Most other reporting regions recorded low incidence levels, with Campania serving as the sole exception where rates climbed very high, according to Doctor33.
Laboratory analyses indicate that classic influenza viruses are not yet driving the majority of illnesses. Rhinovirus accounts for 25.7 percent of sentinel samples, followed by parainfluenzal viruses at 17.1 percent and adenoviruses at 8.6 percent. Actual influenza virus positivity sits at 5.7 percent.
Among the samples analyzed by the sentinel network, 25.7 percent tested positive for rhinovirus, 17.1 percent for parainfluenza viruses, and 8.6 percent for adenoviruses, according to Mondosanità.
Vaccination campaigns expand across regions
Lombardy leads the country in influenza vaccination uptake, deploying doses through family doctors, pediatricians, pharmacies, and health centers, as reported by Mondosanità.
Region Lombardy, having vaccinated about 1.2 million people over 65 during the previous season, launched this year’s vaccination campaign by involving family doctors, pediatricians, pharmacies, community health homes, vaccination centers, and hospital facilities, according to Mondosanità.
Ministry of Health figures show that during the 2025-2026 season, only 49.81 percent of adults aged 65 and older received the influenza vaccine, marking a drop from 52.5 percent the previous year and down from a peak of 65.3 percent during the 2020-2021 pandemic season.
The Italian health ministry recommends free influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations for individuals over 60, pregnant women, people with chronic medical conditions, and young children. Developing immunity requires roughly two weeks following administration.
Frequently asked questions about Italy’s respiratory virus season
Why was the RespiVirNet surveillance system interrupted?
Regional authorities suspended data collection for eight months due to privacy regulations concerning personal data. The Higher Institute of Health temporarily modified its platform to collect anonymous data while working alongside the Ministry of Health and the data protection authority to restore full reporting.
The goal is to restore the complete version of the system, and the resumption of monitoring was anticipated on November 7 by Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci, who announced the publication of the bulletin with a timeline close to that of previous seasons, according to Doctor33.
How do the current infection numbers compare to last year?
Quotidiano Sanità said that the overall incidence rate of roughly 8.5 cases per 1,000 people aligns closely with figures recorded during the corresponding period of the 2025-2026 winter season.
Which specific flu strains are currently circulating in hospitals?
Laboratory findings show that among samples testing positive for influenza, the vast majority belong to type A, specifically the A(H1N1)pdm09 strain.
In the hospital setting, rhinovirus prevails with a positivity rate of 29 percent, followed by parainfluenza viruses at 6.5 percent and coronaviruses other than SARS-CoV-2 at 6 percent, according to Doctor33.
When should patients seek urgent medical assistance for respiratory symptoms?
In the presence of severe respiratory difficulty, intense or persistent chest pain, altered state of consciousness, bluish coloration of the lips, or very low oxygen saturation, it is necessary to immediately request urgent medical assistance by calling 112, according to MilanoToday.