OREANDA-NEWS  In Russia, the total incidence of influenza and SARS in the last week of December decreased by 29.3% compared to the previous week, according to a statement on the website of Rospotrebnadzor.

Among the respiratory viruses circulating in the country, influenza viruses remain dominant, among which the A(H1N1) strain (the so–called swine flu) prevails - it accounts for 60.8% of cases of the disease recorded in all regions of the country.

On December 15, the head of Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, announced the successful research of divaccina, which protects against both influenza and COVID-19. The vaccine is being developed by the Institute of Systems Biology and Medicine of Rospotrebnadzor. At the end of December, it became known that the pharmaceutical holding "Natsibio" and the Human Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) agreed to conduct clinical trials and produce a single vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 and influenza.

In mid-December, Rospotrebnadzor reported that the incidence of influenza and SARS increased by 35% compared to the second week of December. In addition to strain A(H1N1), strain A(H3N2) is also recorded, the department reported. In the week from December 12 to 22, according to the Smorodintsev Influenza Research Institute, the incidence rate was 107% higher than the weekly epidemic threshold with A(H1N1) predominance.

President Vladimir Putin drew attention to the situation with the rise in morbidity at a meeting with members of the government, saying that he had been vaccinated against the flu. According to Rospotrebnadzor, about 76 million people besides the president were vaccinated against influenza, which is 52% of the total number of citizens.