Deputy Mayor Rakov: Epidemiological situation in the capital corresponds to the season

Moscow continues daily monitoring of seasonal diseases. The epidemiological situation in the capital fully corresponds to the season. Compared to December last year, the city has seen a slight increase in the share of flu in the structure of seasonal viruses - it is about 20%. This was reported by Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Social Development Anastasia Rakova.

"Since the pandemic, we have clearly worked out an algorithm for working with various seasonal diseases in the capital, including coronavirus. We regularly conduct full-genome sequencing of the entire line of ARVI - to understand the genetic variability of the pathogen, and before the start of the epidemic season, we analyze all patients for a comprehensive study of the morbidity structure. January monitoring of viruses showed that the epidemiological situation in the capital corresponds to the season. Among seasonal diseases, rhinoviruses predominate - 19.5% - and influenza - its share has increased slightly and now corresponds to the level of morbidity COVID-19 — about 20%. Bocaviruses, parainfluenza, adenoviruses and metapneumoviruses were detected in small quantities. The already familiar strain continues to dominate in the capital FLIRT. And in Europe and the USA today the most common strains are XEC, KP 3.1.1. and LP.8.1., which we do not observe in Moscow", — the deputy mayor reported.

The city has developed a clear system for managing the situation with seasonal viral diseases. Firstly, constant monitoring of circulating viruses is carried out to determine what kind of strains they are, what characteristics they have and what severity of the disease they cause. During the year, 5-7% studies from the total number of cases are analyzed to determine the structure of dominant viruses and the tendency for one virus to be displaced by another. In Moscow, all cases are regularly analyzed to study the structure of morbidity in the city. And to understand the genetic variability of the pathogen, full-genome sequencing of the entire line of ARVI is carried out.