According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the number of flu cases in Germany has risen sharply in the past week. "Influenza viruses currently cause the majority of acute respiratory diseases," says the weekly report of the RKI's influenza working group on Wednesday afternoon.

The number of flu cases confirmed in the laboratory and reported to the RKI in accordance with the Infection Protection Act for the past week was around 44,300. That is around 58 percent more cases than a week earlier. Around nine percent of patients are admitted to clinics.

According to the report, 227 flu outbreaks with at least five cases have been reported since the beginning of October, around 81 of them in schools and 79 in kindergartens and after-school care centers. The number of recorded influenza deaths was reported as 64 in the report. However, the reported numbers are only a small part of the actual situation.

Children often affected by RSV infections

According to the RKI, in addition to the influenza virus, the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) continues to circulate, which can be particularly dangerous for small children and infants. "RSV and influenza viruses were detected in all age groups, but children up to the age of 4 were predominantly affected by RSV infections," it said.

According to estimates by experts from the RKI, around one in nine people in Germany has suffered from an acute respiratory disease in the past week. "The values ​​are currently still above the level of previous years at the peak of severe flu waves."

Accordingly, a total of around 9.3 million acute respiratory diseases in the population are assumed in the week under consideration. The number of visits to the doctor for such diseases is around the peak values ​​of severe flu waves. The values ​​estimated with the help of citizens' information refer to the week from December 5th to 11th.