Influenza
The flu wave is rolling – so many people are sick right now
The flu wave has Germany under control and the number of infected people is increasing. What is the current influenza situation? And is it still worth getting vaccinated now?
It has already become apparent in recent weeks that the number of reported influenza cases has been increasing significantly since the beginning of December. Now the flu wave is here and – as has often been the case in previous years – it is picking up speed in January. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), at least 11,069 people in Germany currently have the flu. These are laboratory-confirmed cases, late reports are possible. In the last reporting week there were 4,932 infected people.
Influenza is an acute respiratory illness and is very contagious. The viruses are mainly transmitted via droplets, for example through sneezing or coughing. Typical symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches and/or headaches, and general weakness. As a rule, flu illness lasts five to seven days.
Influenza outbreaks last up to ten weeks
According to the RKI, the beginning of the flu wave can be said to be very simple when influenza A or B viruses are detected in every fifth patient sample. These are seasonal viruses. This year, according to the RKI, the flu wave began in the first week of January.
When to get vaccinated against flu?
The best time to get a flu vaccination is before the start of a flu epidemic, as it takes 10 to 14 days after the vaccination until the vaccination protection is fully developed. In recent years, the wave of influenza usually peaked after the turn of the year. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) therefore recommends getting vaccinated from October to mid-December, but it could also “make sense to get the vaccination at the beginning or during the course of the flu wave.”
A wave “lasts on average over eight to ten weeks, but can also last significantly longer in individual years,” writes the RKI. The institute estimates the number of infections in the population during the annual flu waves to be between 5 and 20 percent. The severity of flu waves varies greatly. In 2013, around 70,000 seasonal influenza cases were reported to the RKI, but the following year there were only 7,000.
The number of severe flu cases is decreasing
Although the number of infections themselves has increased, the number of severe flu cases that required hospitalization has recently fallen again. After around 27 percent of patients with a reported flu diagnosis had to be treated in hospital in the week of December 30th, the number of cases rose to 18 percent in the second week of reporting. These 1996 flu sufferers with severe infections are mainly small children and the elderly.
These are the most dangerous infectious diseases in the world
Malaria is one of the most important tropical diseases in the world. It is caused by protozoa of the genus Plasmodium caused. About 40 percent of the world’s population lives in areas where malaria occurs regularly. Every year around 200 million people become infected with the pathogen and around 600,000 people die from malaria. Most of them are children under five years old
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Further
The number of deaths from influenza infection has continued to rise. So far, 83 deaths have been reported to the RKI in the 2024/2025 season. Most (84 percent) were 60 years and older.
Also increase in RS virus
Infections with the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have currently been confirmed by the laboratory in 1,489 people; 343 patients had to be treated in hospital. According to RKI figures, six people with RSV infection have died so far in the 2024/2025 season.
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Source: Stern
I’m Caroline, a journalist and author for 24 Hours Worlds. I specialize in health-related news and stories, bringing real-world impact to readers across the globe. With my experience in journalism and writing in both print and online formats, I strive to provide reliable information that resonates with audiences from all walks of life.
