The number of flu cases rose again last week. We are heading for a flu epidemic of more than three months, which is exceptionally long.
Last week, more people reported to their GPs with flu complaints, according to figures from Sciensano. There are also more people with flu symptoms again, says UHasselt. Until the week before, there was just a downward trend.
The flu season started very early this year, in December. But the Christmas break broke the flu dynamic, causing the number of cases to drop again. The spring break may reduce the number of infections again, says virologist Steven Van Gucht (Sciensano). ‘Let’s hope that the numbers will drop again, but we’ll have to wait and see. In any case, we will easily exceed three months. That is very long for a flu season.’
The pressure is not too bad in the hospitals for the time being. ‘But those figures are still an extra week behind, so we shouldn’t be mistaken about that. The long flu season is causing prolonged pressure on the healthcare system,’ says Van Gucht.
More flu than corona
The fact that the flu period lasts so long is not good news for vulnerable people. After all, an infection with the flu is not without risk. ‘Influenza can hit hard’, says Van Gucht. ‘December was a very deadly month, although that was not just due to the flu. Also RSV (another respiratory infection, ed.) and corona were circulating, and there was also a cold snap.’
The corona figures are also on the rise again. Last week, the number of hospital admissions rose by 18 percent, but the absolute number remains low. Of all people with respiratory complaints in hospitals, there are more with the flu than with corona.
It is striking that many corona variants circulate side by side. ‘That’s a good sign,’ says Van Gucht. ‘It means that there is no variant with an explosive power. Let’s hope this is the harbinger of the endemic phase.’
