Last week, 68 out of every 100,000 people with flu-like symptoms went to their GPs, according to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).
This brought the number for the second consecutive week above the limit for a flu epidemic. That limit is 58 in 100,000 people. The influenza virus that caused the flu was found in 40 percent of the people from whom GPs took samples.
More people from Groningen sick
The GGD could not give precise figures on Wednesday afternoon how many people in our province are ill, but it does say that the image in Groningen follows the national picture.
‘The number of patients with flu is also increasing here. In doing so, we rely on information from the laboratories and general practitioners in our province, “says GGD infectious disease control doctor Jossy van den Boogaard.
Who knows, this season it will be a mild epidemic
Epidemic is late
This year the flu epidemic is later than usual. The epidemic usually starts in December or January, so now in mid-February.
‘The fact that it starts so late may have something to do with the low outside temperature. Who knows, it may also be a mild epidemic this season, but that is to be seen, “says Van den Boogaard.
The flu epidemics have lasted an average of thirteen weeks in the last ten years, and even fourteen weeks last year.
The ‘real’ flu is caused by the influenza virus. Typical for this is very sudden fever that can go up to 39 degrees or higher.
In addition to the influenza virus, other respiratory viruses can also cause flu-like symptoms, such as the rhinovirus, RS virus and enterovirus. These viruses cause complaints such as runny nose, sore throat, headache, cough and sometimes fever. The complaints are often milder than with ‘real’ flu.
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