According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), children are currently diagnosed with flu more often than corona. The institute writes in its published weekly report that those aged 5 to 14 are particularly affected.
The RKI relies on findings from virological surveillance. “If symptoms of a new respiratory disease such as a runny nose, sore throat or cough occur – regardless of the vaccination status and also in the case of a negative Covid-19 test result – it is urgently recommended to avoid contacts and, if necessary, to contact the family doctor’s practice,” it said.
According to scientific definition, a wave of influenza has not even started in the 2021/22 season, but recently there have been a few more cases of influenza in Germany. The RKI experts speak of slightly increased influenza activity. The influenza working group had reported almost 2,000 cases in the past week. In the case of influenza, a high number of undetected and unreported cases is assumed.
Omicron subvariant BA.5 spreads
With regard to the development of the corona pandemic, the RKI states that the seven-day incidence continued to fall last week: by 13.5 percent compared to the week before. Many indicators of hospital admissions and deaths continue to decline. “The infection pressure remains high with around 400,000 Covid 19 cases transmitted to the RKI within the last week.”
According to the report, the proportion of the omicron subvariant BA.5 in Germany is growing, but so far at a very low level. It was 1.4 percent according to the latest available data, a sample from the week before last. In the weeks before it was 0.5 and 0.3 percent. However, the growth of the omicron variant BA.2, which has been dominant for some time, seems to have stopped, and the value has now fallen slightly to 97.4 percent.
“The currently increasing trend in the Omicron lines BA.4 and BA.5, especially in South Africa and recently also in Portugal, is accompanied by an increase in the number of Covid 19 cases and the positive rate,” writes the RKI. In Germany, there has only been a very small increase in BA.4 so far, from 0.1 to 0.3 percent. According to the report, there has not been a strong increase in mixed variants either. However, not all positive samples are tested for this.
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