Corona wave is steadily ebbing: RKI warns of influenza cases and RSV infections in children
Created: 04/11/2022, 08:20
By: Jennifer Lanzinger
In the coming weeks, respiratory diseases could increase significantly in Germany.
(Iconic image) © Sina Schuldt/dpa
The corona autumn wave is currently experiencing a significant damper.
The RKI expects significantly more influenza cases and RSV infections in children in the coming weeks.
Berlin – Is it the calm before the storm or is the corona wave actually easing faster this fall than in previous years?
Several indicators suggest that the corona autumn wave has suffered a significant dampening.
The Robert Koch Institute is now publishing its current weekly report.
This makes it clear: There are other pathogens that are expected to become stronger in the next few weeks.
Corona wave slowed down significantly: is this the calm before the storm?
According to the RKI, the downward trend in the number of new corona infections reported in Germany could be related to the autumn holidays and only be temporary.
Last week, the seven-day incidences fell in all federal states and age groups, according to the RKI weekly report on Thursday evening.
"The factor of the school holidays must still be considered, which influences both contact and test behavior." The decrease in incidence compared to the week before was a total of 33 percent.
And the number of reported infections has also fallen further this week.
In most of the federal states, Monday or Tuesday was a public holiday.
According to the RKI report, it was not just the incidence that declined last week: less severe Covid 19 courses were also recorded.
The estimated number of doctor visits in this context was also lower in a weekly comparison, as was the number of laboratory tests for Sars-CoV-2.
The viral load in the wastewater showed a falling trend at the majority of the locations examined - this type of monitoring is independent of the use of tests.
RKI expects a high number of respiratory diseases
Overall, the RKI expects a high number of respiratory diseases in the coming weeks.
"In particular, the positive rate and the number of illnesses caused by influenza show an increasing trend, and RSV infections also lead to increased illnesses and hospital admissions, especially in small children." RSV stands for respiratory syncytial virus.
The pathogen caused an extraordinary wave in some countries last year, which is also a consequence of the pandemic.
According to the latest available data from the week before last, the omicron subline BA.5 still predominates in Germany - with 96 percent, as the report shows.
New derivatives of BA.5 such as BQ.1 and BQ.1.1, which are likely to become established in the coming weeks according to models from the European disease control agency ECDC, are also increasing in Germany.
The RKI writes that the level is very low at around three percent in each sample.
So far, according to experts, there are no signs that the nickname of BQ.1.1 used in social media - "Hellhound" - is program.
According to another RKI report on Thursday, more than two million vaccinations were administered nationwide in October, specifically on Covid-19 immunizations.
There has been progress in particular with second booster vaccinations, which are recommended for older people, for example.
But: "For the residents and guests of long-term care facilities, only a slow increase in the vaccination rates for the 2nd booster vaccination can be observed," writes the RKI.
It calls for the flu vaccination to be “absolutely” used as an opportunity to complete the Covid-19 protection of the vulnerable group.
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Scientists are currently targeting the "hound of hell" (Cerberus).
The new omicron subvariant BQ.1.1.
The symptoms appear to be different.
