Abstract

Respiratory infections remain a significant public health threat with considerable morbidity and mortality, highlighting the need for effective early warning tools. This study aims to evaluate the Epidemic Volatility Index (EVI) as a real-life early warning tool for respiratory infections. From October 16, 2023, to February 4, 2024, adults with respiratory infection symptoms were studied at the hospital, with nasal specimens collected and infections requiring hospitalization documented. The proportion of infections due to specific viruses and EVI’s real-time warnings were assessed. Among 948 adults tested, positive results were: 23.52% for Flu-A, 0.11% for Flu-B, 18.46% for SARS-CoV-2, 2.43% for RSV, and 0.74% for Adenovirus. A total of 54.75% of tests yielded negative results. Hospital admissions were 159 (16.77%), with 23.27% for Flu-A, 13.21% for SARS-CoV-2, 3.77% for RSV, and 0.63% for Adenovirus. During the Flu-A outbreak, diagnosed cases (59.7%) outnumbered undiagnosed ones (40.3%). EVI provided a warning 14 days before a surge in Flu-A and SARS-CoV-2 cases. EVI’s timely alerts can assist healthcare systems in preparing for surges, ensuring adequate resources and staff availability. These tools facilitate rapid response, resource allocation, and international collaboration, minimizing the impact of health crises.

Key words: EVI; respiratory infections; rapid tests; public health; Flu-A; SARS-CoV-2.