Robert Koch Institute - Respiratory viruses: more than one in ten is ill
More than one in ten is still or has just been affected: The extrapolated number of acute respiratory illnesses in Germany continued to rise last week.
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) stated in its report on Wednesday evening (previous edition: 7.9 million) that there were around 8.9 million such illnesses, regardless of whether they had visited a doctor. This is a similarly high level as at this time last year.
In a week-on-week comparison, the figures have risen, especially among school-age children and young adults, writes the RKI. In addition to coronavirus, there are an unusually high number of rhinovirus infections (colds) and an increasing number of RSV and flu cases for this time of year. RSV stands for respiratory syncytial virus - which is currently hospitalizing children under two in particular.
According to the RKI definition, the flu epidemic has not yet begun. However, with regard to random virological tests, experts are talking about a strikingly steep increase in the rate of positive samples of so-called influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses.
The RKI writes on its website that this subtype first appeared during the 2009 flu pandemic: as so-called swine flu. Since then, it has also circulated seasonally in Germany, most recently in the 2018/19 season.
In flu waves in which this pathogen dominated, it has been observed that very severe illnesses and deaths have also occurred in younger adults and children, especially when underlying illnesses were present. "Overall, however, such severe cases are rare in young people."
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- Despite the ongoing health concerns, families are still looking forward to celebrating Christmas, hoping for a less impactful season compared to the previous year's Corona outbreak.
- The German government, along with the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), is closely monitoring the situation, especially the rise in respiratory diseases such as flu and RSV, to formulate appropriate public health measures.
- In light of the increasing number of respiratory diseases, parents in Berlin are reminded to take extra precautions to protect their children from catching the flu or any other respiratory disease during the festive season.
- The rise in respiratory diseases, such as influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 queried by the RKI, is significant, emphasizing the importance of getting vaccinated against the flu, especially for children and individuals with underlying health conditions.
- Researchers at the RKI and other German scientific institutions are working tirelessly to develop better treatments and vaccines for various diseases, including respiratory infections and Covid-19, to enhance national and global health security.
- As the holidays approach, it's essential for people to practice good hygiene, get vaccinated, and maintain social distancing to help reduce the spread of infections, ensuring a healthier and safer Christmas season for everyone in Germany.
Source: www.stern.de
