The end of the flu wave is not yet in sight

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With this season’s flu epidemic starting early and rampant with significant numbers of infections, there’s still no all-clear after the new year. The Center for Virology at MedUni Vienna, the domestic reference laboratory for influenza viruses, said on Wednesday that “influenza virus activity in Austria remains high.” Due to the vacations, there were fewer sample submissions, but the positive rate of influenza detection last week was 52 percent.

The flu reporting service of the city of Vienna estimated flu infections and “real flu” (influenza) in the federal capital at a total of about 31,000 new cases in the previous week (week 52). In week 50, it was extrapolated to almost 34,000, and in the week after (week 51), 31,550 new cases. Since then, we have seen a slight decrease in cases, but there are still more than twice as many infections as at the peak of the last flu outbreaks in Vienna before the Corona pandemic.

The Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) also recorded the previous peak of the rapid increase in new infections (incidence) in its Austria-wide projection of flu and flu-like illnesses three weeks ago. In week 50, there was a seven-day incidence of 5850 cases per 100,000 inhabitants; the following week, it fell to a value of around 5300. By comparison, the seven-day incidence of reported Corona infections was below 400 cases per 100,000 inhabitants just before Christmas and is currently below a value of 300.

Meanwhile, there has been no easing of the flu situation outside Austria. According to MedUni, influenza virus activity continues to increase in Europe.