The flu reached epidemic levels and begins to affect hospitals

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/madrid/gripe/alcanza/niveles/epidemicos/empieza/afectar/hospitales/elpepiespmad/20110105elpmad_8/Tes

The flu reached epidemic levels and begins to affect hospitals HIV incidence has tripled in Madrid in a week E. G. SEVILLANO - Madrid - 05/01/2011
The flu epidemic has already reached Madrid. Family physicians and pediatricians see how your questions are filled with patients with classic symptoms of the disease, malaise, severe headache, muscle pain, fever, coughing ...
The flu epidemic has already reached Madrid. Family physicians and pediatricians see how your questions are filled with patients with classic symptoms of the disease, malaise, severe headache, muscle pain, fever, coughing ... Also the hospital emergency beginning to feel the increased circulation of the virus. Its halls are packed, but still are not beds in the hallways, as in other seasons. At week 52, the last of 2010 and the last for which data are available, the Ministry of Health reported 62.7 cases per 100,000, slightly above the threshold at which it considers that no epidemic. The incidence has nearly tripled in one week. In the earlier cases did not reach 25 per 100,000 inhabitants.
Not only Madrid is now in an epidemic phase. At week 51 (from 19 to 25 December) the incidence of the disease in Spain surpassed for the first time this season the threshold. The reported rate was 82.6 cases per 100,000 population, according to the latest report of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. The Community of Madrid has two different ways of measuring their rates of flu, so it handles different figures, explained a spokesman for Health. The rate of cases in the system used by family physicians in health centers at week 52 was 62.7 per 100,000 population. However, the rate at sentinel physician network, the method of measurement used by all communities and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, was 91.78 cases per 100,000, almost double the previous week.
Influenza activity according to the Carlos III was increased at week 51 in all autonomy, except in Valencia and Melilla. Asturias, Extremadura, La Rioja and Castilla y Leon had very high rates. Almost 85% of the flu that was analyzed influenza A. Since last year declared influenza pandemic has continued to the Carlos III accounting for severe cases admitted to hospitals. Since the beginning of this season have been reported 71 serious cases in Spain. Almost 90% were infections AnH1N1 influenza virus. One in four did not present any risk factors.
In Madrid, the age group that is being most affected by the virus is the one that goes from 15 to 49 years, according to the Ministry of Health. The second most cases is that of children under 5 years. Experts recommend that you follow basic tips to avoid infection: using tissues, washing hands frequently, and so on. A spokesman for Health stressed that the flu is this year a similar pattern to other seasons and there is no cause for alarm. The highest rate of emergency should be explained, the increase of reported cases.