Suche
Mein Konto
Flu wave approaching: experts warn of health alarm!
Experts warn of an impending flu wave in Austria. Experts recommend vaccination and preventive measures.
Flu wave approaching: experts warn of health alarm!
Experts warn of an impending flu wave in Austria, which could peak as early as January 2024. According to the Diagnostic Influenza Network Austria (DINÖ), the first indicators for influenza, especially type A, show sporadic activity. Cases of infection have already been reported in countries such as Norway, France and the Netherlands. In Austria, the number of sickness reports due to flu-like infections is increasing, with current statistics from the ÖGK showing that out of a total of 268,100 sickness reports, 75,172 are due to these illnesses. Virologist Monika Redlberger-Fritz from MedUni Vienna emphasizes that “orange” alert levels have already been reached, particularly in Vienna and Upper Austria, which indicates an imminent increase in infections, directly after the Christmas holidays, reported oe24.at.
As the Vienna Health Association (WIGEV) also reports, an increase in flu and RSV virus (respiratory syncytial virus) cases can be expected in Vienna. These viruses pose a serious health risk, especially for small children and infants. Important symptoms of flu are high fever, physical weakness and cough, while RSV typically shows cough, runny nose and labored breathing with difficulty drinking in infants. Florian Knipp, head of the children and youth department at the Favoriten Clinic, urgently recommends vaccinations against the flu and emphasizes the need to see a doctor as quickly as possible if you have symptoms meinkreis.at highlighted in his reporting.
The latest illness statistics show an increase in sick leave due to acute respiratory illnesses in the current calendar week. WIGEV and the ÖGK warn of an increased burden on children's wards, which underlines the urgent vaccination recommendation for risk groups, including pregnant women and older people. Access to free vaccinations in Austria offers a valuable opportunity to counteract the upcoming flu wave and achieve broader immunity in the population.