2023-10-18 06:22:34
For “epidemic flu activity” to occur, three of five specific criteria must be met. So far that is not the case. A corona or other wave cannot be observed at the moment.
Cold season has definitely begun. The number of people with typical symptoms such as cough, runny nose, sore throat, head and body aches, fatigue, gastrointestinal complaints and high temperature is increasing – as is the number of sick leaves. According to the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK), around 270,000 patients are currently registered sick (calendar week 41), 71,000 of them because of “flu-like infections”, 10,000 because of Covid-19 and 270 because of the “real” flu. In calendar week 40 there were 62,000, 9,000 and 220 patients, with a total of 256,000 sick leaves. All employees insured by the ÖGK as well as those receiving unemployment benefits are included – students are not, because so-called diagnosis coding (statement of the diagnosis) is not required for them.
However, these illnesses cannot be traced back to one pathogen such as the corona, influenza or RS virus – as is well known, these three ensured full ordinations and hospitals last winter – but to the entirety of all circulating cold viruses – including the adenovirus. and rhinovirus, also known as “cold viruses.” A wave of infections that can be traced back to one of the viruses mentioned is currently not being observed. This emerges from both the wastewater analyzes (from 48 sewage treatment plants throughout Austria) and the sample tests.
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