Overview
- The Robert Koch Institute reports more than 20,000 influenza cases in the latest week, pushing the season’s total above 80,000 with 225 deaths recorded so far.
- Hospitals and practices report full waiting rooms, staff absences and isolation needs as influenza cases climb alongside a new COVID-19 uptick.
- Northern states report rising activity, including about 1,700 cases in Hamburg since October with 11 deaths, increasing weekly reports in Schleswig-Holstein, and a 21 percent influenza positivity rate in Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern.
- Vaccine access is uneven, with practices and pharmacies noting tight supplies in places, while authorities say common symptom‑relief medicines remain available and the PEI has authorized an Italian‑labeled high‑dose flu shot to support stocks.
- Health leaders urge vaccination and hygiene measures; the wave began earlier than usual, and researchers are monitoring reports of a possibly faster‑spreading subclade as evidence develops.