Nine people died from influenza and seven from Covid-19 in the period between February 2 and February 8, 2026, the National Public Health Organization (EODY) reported on Thursday.
Respiratory infections in the country continue to record a relatively high increase, according to the epidemiological surveillance report of the EODY that was released today.
Influenza-related illness – ILI (regardless of pathogen)
The number of influenza-related illness cases per 1,000 visits showed a significant decrease compared to the previous week.
Severe Acute Respiratory Infection – SARI (regardless of pathogen)
The number of SARI cases per 1,000 admissions showed a slight increase compared to the previous week.
SARS-CoV2 virus – COVID-19 infection
The positivity resulting from all SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic tests in the territory did not show a significant change compared to the previous week.
For the 2025-2026 surveillance period (from week 44/2025), EODY installed a system for daily active recording of new COVID-19 admissions from a network of a total of 84 hospitals across the country, with the aim of monitoring their long-term trend. In week 06/2026, 101 new COVID-19 admissions were recorded, showing a slight decrease compared to the previous week (N=108).
Since the beginning of the summer of 2025, sporadic cases of intubation and death have been recorded. In week 06/2026, two new intubations and seven new deaths were recorded. From week 01/2025 to week 06/2026, the recorded deaths in serious cases (intubated and/or hospitalized in the ICU) amount to 87.
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Since the end of spring 2025 and onward, a gradual increase in the variant strain XFG has been recorded, which appears to be the predominant strain in detections since early July.
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During week 06/2026, the weighted viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in urban wastewater of the tested areas is at low levels, showing stability compared to the previous week.
Influenza virus
Influenza positivity in the community (as estimated by the Sentinel PHC surveillance network) continues its downward trend, showing a significant drop in week 06/2026. In secondary health care (as estimated by the SARI surveillance network) a decrease was recorded compared to the previous week.
For the 2025-2026 surveillance period (from week 44/2025), EODY installed a system of daily active recording of new influenza admissions from a network of a total of 84 hospitals across the country, with the aim of monitoring their long-term trend. New influenza admissions showed a decrease compared to the previous week (360 new admissions compared to 597 in week 04/2026).
During the week of 06/2026, 13 new severe laboratory-confirmed influenza cases with ICU admissions and 15 new deaths from laboratory-confirmed influenza were recorded. In addition, two severe laboratory-confirmed influenza cases with ICU admissions were reported retrospectively, with admission dates within the previous weeks.
In total, from week 40/2025 to 06/2026, 136 laboratory-confirmed influenza cases with ICU admissions and 60 deaths with laboratory-confirmed influenza have been recorded. It is noted that from week 01/2025 to week 06/2026, the recorded deaths in serious cases with laboratory-confirmed influenza amounted to 144.
Of the 452 type A strains that were subtyped, 309 belonged to the subtype A(H3) and 143 belonged to the subtype A(H1)pdm09. 21 samples positive for A(H3) virus have been phylogenetically analyzed: six samples from the beginning of the surveillance period (weeks 42–45/2025), of which three belonged to the K genetic group and 15 from the phase of the increase of influenza activity (weeks 50–52/2025), of which 14 were K.
The data show an overall prevalence of the K genetic group in A(H3) samples, in agreement with the global picture. The K genetic group has not been associated with an increased risk of severe disease so far. Vaccination remains the best preventive measure, especially for high-risk individuals.
During week 06/2026, the weighted viral load of influenza A in urban wastewater from the monitored areas is at low levels, showing a decrease compared to the previous week.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus – RSV
Positivity in the community (Sentinel Primary Health Care Surveillance Network) has been on an upward trend since week 2/2026, recording a significant increase compared to the previous week. In hospitals in the SARI surveillance network, there has also been an increase compared to the previous week.
