MADRID, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- The number of cases of people suffering from flu rose dramatically in the first week of 2017 to levels well above those predicted at the start of the winter.
Data published on Thursday by the National Network for the Vigilance of Epidemics at the Carlos III Hospital in Madrid shows that between January the 2nd and the 8th, there were 174.48 cases of flu per 100,000 inhabitants in Spain.
That is a 26-percent rise from the level of 138.17 cases per 100,000 inhabitants measured the previous week and well above the 55.68 cases which had been predicted for the 2016-17 flu season.
The Network adds that the level of cases is currently in an stage of "growing evolution," meaning levels are going to continue rising for the near future.
So far a total of 53 deaths have been accredited to the virus, 44 of which were among people aged 65 or older.
Meanwhile, the number of cases needing hospital treatment has doubled in the past week from 209 to 429, with 71 percent of those aged 65 or over. Enditem
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