Heavy flu in winter expected

Germany expects a rapid increase in influenza infections in winter: Experts recommend vaccination

10/09/2012

The experts of the German Association for the Control of Viral Diseases expect a relatively strong flu epidemic for the coming winters. Because in Australia - where the annual flu season is coming to an end - the authorities reported an earlier and faster increase in flu infections this year than in 2010 and 2011.

The data from the southern hemisphere make it clear that winter is likely to be accompanied by a more severe flu epidemic in our latitudes, explained Peter Wutzler, President of the German Association for the Control of Viral Diseases, active at the University Hospital Jena, to the news agency „dpa“. In Australia, over the current flu season, many children over the age of four and senior citizens over the age of 70 are severely ill, according to the Australian Department of Health. A similar development expect the experts for the winter in Germany. Therefore, flu shots are currently being called again.

Infection numbers in Australia indicate a strong flu epidemic
The president of the German Association for the Control of Viral Diseases reports that, according to figures from the Australian authorities, around twice as many influenza cases were registered in Australia at the start of this year's flu season than in the same period last year. Only recently, three children under the age of six died of the flu infection. Therefore, a vaccination is recommended especially for the elderly and the chronically ill. It would be best to have a vaccination in the period from September to November, since the immune system needs about two weeks after vaccination to build up effective flu protection, explained Wutzler. „In order to be optimally protected, you should now make an appointment with your family doctor for the vaccination“, so the statement of the expert. According to the Paul Ehrlich Institute responsible for the approval of the vaccines, 8.3 million vaccine doses have already been released for the flu season 2012/2013. In part, the manufacturers had already begun with the delivery.

Rapid increase in the number of infections at the beginning of the flu season
According to the Australian Ministry of Health, the H3N2 pathogen was responsible for a particularly large number of illnesses in Australia during this influenza season. By comparison, infections with the swine influenza virus H1N1 were comparatively rare in comparison to previous years. Although the authorities observed an unusually high increase in the number of illnesses at the beginning of the influenza season, they also point out that the number of infections over the entire flu season was barely higher than in the influenza waves of recent years. As early as mid-July, influenza-related hospital admissions peaked and have since declined significantly. The need for a vaccination therefore, given a closer look at the numbers, seems no more or less necessary than in previous years. (Fp)

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Picture: Rita Thielen