[This report is from 23 January 2020. Here are interesting points: 

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p class=”gmail-western” style=”font-family:Roboto,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:0cm”>A total of 488,000 cases were reported last week alone, signalling that flu season is hitting its peak in January as predicted.

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p class=”gmail-western” style=”font-family:Roboto,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:0cm”>READ ALSO: No, coronavirus isn't the same as the flu

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p class=”gmail-western” style=”font-family:Roboto,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:0cm”>240 deaths have so far been reported, slightly lower than the expected 258. Most of the fatal cases are elderly patients who suffered complications after contracting the virus.

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p class=”gmail-western” style=”font-family:Roboto,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:0cm”>Influenza, commonly called the flu, is a viral infection that attacks your respiratory system.

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p class=”gmail-western” style=”font-family:Roboto,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:0cm”>So from the above excerpt and the article below, you'll see that a week before the Corona Virus struck, almost 3 million people had the flu, and they were saying the death toll is LESS THAN NORMAL! In a single week almost half a million people got the flu. 

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p class=”gmail-western” style=”font-family:Roboto,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:0cm”>So this means that large numbers of Italians were already ill, and some were dying as per normal, BEFORE “the Corona Virus struck”. Therefore, when people were dropping dead, it follows that you don't really know who died of corona and who died of flu. 

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p class=”gmail-western” style=”font-family:Roboto,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:0cm”>And as per an article I already published only 2 people (now 3 people) have actually died of the corona virus. All the others who died, died from normal flu and its complications. Jan]

Almost three million cases of flu have been reported in Italy since the start of the winter season, and the number of confirmed cases is rising.

Since the start of flu season in October 2019, 2,768,000 cases across the country have been confirmed by laboratory tests, according to data from InfluNet published on January 19.

A total of 488,000 cases were reported last week alone, signalling that flu season is hitting its peak in January as predicted.

READ ALSO: No, coronavirus isn’t the same as the flu

240 deaths have so far been reported, slightly lower than the expected 258. Most of the fatal cases are elderly patients who suffered complications after contracting the virus.

Influenza, commonly called the flu, is a viral infection that attacks your respiratory system.

Flu symptoms typically include the sudden onset of high fever, cough and muscle pain, according to the Health Ministry’s website. Other common symptoms include headache, chills, loss of appetite, fatigue and sore throat.

Most people recover from flu within a week or ten days, but some people are at a greater risk of more serious complications or worsening of their underlying condition.

Those at risk from contracting the virus have been urged to get vaccinated.

Where and how can I get vaccinated?

The vaccination is recommended for people over the age of 60, the chronically ill, and pregnant women, as well as health workers.

October and November are considered the best time to get vaccinated – before the flu epidemic really takes off. But it’s not too late if you act quickly, as health officials have stressed.

READ ALSO: These are the Italian regions worst hit by the flu outbreak

Contact your local doctor if you want to get the flu shot. Influenza vaccination can be performed by any doctor though it’s usually carried out at general medical practices.

Flu vaccines are recommended by the Italian health ministry for adults and children with certain health conditions, anyone aged over 65, and pregnant women due to the increased risk of serious complications caused by the virus, the ministry stated.

The flu vaccine is available free of charge in Italy, and you can find out more from your local GP or pediatrician, and on the Italian Health Ministry’s dedicated flu website.

READ ALSO:

• The illnesses that only seem to strike Italians
• Italian doctors warned to stop prescribing ‘excessive’ amounts of antibiotics
• ‘How I ended up in hospital in Italy – without health insurance’

Is weather a factor?

Itaians are famously afraid of being “struck by air”. Many believe that having your neck or other delicate areas exposed to draughts will guarantee you’re swiftly struck down with flu or pneumonia.

While this isn’t strictly true, according to the Italian health ministry, the weather can indirectly influence how flu spreads.

In very cold weather, people spend more time shut indoors and the dry air may make the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract more susceptible to infection.

Meanwhile, droplets coughed up by patients could float around for longer in dry air shut inside rooms during cold weather.

Vocabulary

Flu – Influenza

Flu outbreak/epidemic – epidemia di influenza

Seasonal flu – Influenza stagionale

Vaccination – vaccinazione

Chronically ill people – Malati cronici

Source: https://www.thelocal.it/20200123/flu-outbreak-in-italy-half-a-million-people-struck-down-in-a-week