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Belgium: "The worst flu epidemic since the Covid pandemic", says Sciensano
Yesterday at 12:02
By the editorial staff And Belgian
The flu epidemic seems particularly fierce at the moment, according to the weekly report on respiratory infections by the public health institute Sciensano . This observation is confirmed by biologist Elke Wollants of the Rega Institute at KU Leuven.
" We are currently experiencing the worst flu epidemic since the Covid pandemic ," says the scientist. " The concentration of influenza (flu) in the wastewater is currently the highest recorded. Everyone is sick, including doctors and even vaccinated people. The workload is very heavy at Gasthuisberg Hospital (UZ Leuven) ."
The number of consultations with the general practitioner for flu symptoms is 1,199 per 100,000 inhabitants, slightly less than last week (1,219). However, this is not yet complete data, specifies Sciensano, which already describes it as " particularly high ".
The peak also seems much higher than during the previous flu season (around 600 consultations per 100,000 inhabitants). General practitioners are buckling under the weight of their workload. Some 85% of them report a heavy or very heavy workload. A trend that has been increasing in recent weeks.
Sciensano also counts 6.6 weekly hospital admissions per 100,000 inhabitants. A percentage that is slightly down, but here again, the figures are not yet complete. " It is difficult to identify a cause, but it seems that few people have contracted the coronavirus at the moment ," continues Elke Wollants. " We observed a peak in coronavirus infections in the summer of 2024, but today we do not notice that ."
https://www.rtbf.be/article/belgiqu...-pandemie-de-covid-indique-sciensano-11499848
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Weekly bulletin
acute respiratory infections
Week 5 (27/01/2025 - 02/02/2025)
...
3. KEY POINTS
• Syndromic surveillance:
• Surveillance by general practitioners: The incidence of general practice consultations
for influenza symptoms is particularly very high, at 1199 consultations per 100,000
inhabitants during week 5.
• Surveillance of influenza symptoms in nursing homes (and care homes): During
week 5, the number of cases and hospitalizations per 1,000 residents was 15 and 2.8 respectively.
This week, 7 deaths related to ILI were reported.
• Hospital admissions: During week 4, the weekly incidence of hospitalizations for
severe acute respiratory infections is stable compared to the previous week at 14.1/100,000
inhabitants.
• Mortality (all causes): Week 3 (13 January) showed, for the third consecutive week, excess mortality
over the entire week in Belgium. Excess mortality was
observed in all regions, mainly concentrated in the age groups 65 years and
over. Excess mortality is also observed among residents of MR/MRS. The weekly number
of deaths from all causes decreased slightly compared to the previous week, but
remains high.
• Influenza:
• Very high incidence of general practitioner consultations for influenza-like illness (ILI) due
to influenza in week 4. Lower value observed in week 5 but not all data are
yet available.
• Increase in the number of influenza infections recorded by the laboratory monitoring network.
• High level of hospitalisations. Decreased compared to the previous week, however the
data may still be incomplete.
• Wastewater surveillance: high level, but decreasing.
• RSV:
• Number of positive laboratory tests: below the epidemic threshold.
• Decrease in the number of hospital admissions.
• High level in wastewater surveillance.
• SARS-CoV-2:
• Number of new cases and positivity rates stable and at low levels.
• Very low number of hospitalizations.
• Low level in wastewater surveillance.
...
Téléchargement 4.42 Mo
https://www.sciensano.be/fr/biblio/bulletin-infections-respiratoires-aigues-semaine-05-2025-publie-05-02-25
Belgium: "The worst flu epidemic since the Covid pandemic", says Sciensano
Yesterday at 12:02
By the editorial staff And Belgian
The flu epidemic seems particularly fierce at the moment, according to the weekly report on respiratory infections by the public health institute Sciensano . This observation is confirmed by biologist Elke Wollants of the Rega Institute at KU Leuven.
" We are currently experiencing the worst flu epidemic since the Covid pandemic ," says the scientist. " The concentration of influenza (flu) in the wastewater is currently the highest recorded. Everyone is sick, including doctors and even vaccinated people. The workload is very heavy at Gasthuisberg Hospital (UZ Leuven) ."
The number of consultations with the general practitioner for flu symptoms is 1,199 per 100,000 inhabitants, slightly less than last week (1,219). However, this is not yet complete data, specifies Sciensano, which already describes it as " particularly high ".
The peak also seems much higher than during the previous flu season (around 600 consultations per 100,000 inhabitants). General practitioners are buckling under the weight of their workload. Some 85% of them report a heavy or very heavy workload. A trend that has been increasing in recent weeks.
Sciensano also counts 6.6 weekly hospital admissions per 100,000 inhabitants. A percentage that is slightly down, but here again, the figures are not yet complete. " It is difficult to identify a cause, but it seems that few people have contracted the coronavirus at the moment ," continues Elke Wollants. " We observed a peak in coronavirus infections in the summer of 2024, but today we do not notice that ."
https://www.rtbf.be/article/belgiqu...-pandemie-de-covid-indique-sciensano-11499848
----------------------------------------------
Weekly bulletin
acute respiratory infections
Week 5 (27/01/2025 - 02/02/2025)
...
3. KEY POINTS
• Syndromic surveillance:
• Surveillance by general practitioners: The incidence of general practice consultations
for influenza symptoms is particularly very high, at 1199 consultations per 100,000
inhabitants during week 5.
• Surveillance of influenza symptoms in nursing homes (and care homes): During
week 5, the number of cases and hospitalizations per 1,000 residents was 15 and 2.8 respectively.
This week, 7 deaths related to ILI were reported.
• Hospital admissions: During week 4, the weekly incidence of hospitalizations for
severe acute respiratory infections is stable compared to the previous week at 14.1/100,000
inhabitants.
• Mortality (all causes): Week 3 (13 January) showed, for the third consecutive week, excess mortality
over the entire week in Belgium. Excess mortality was
observed in all regions, mainly concentrated in the age groups 65 years and
over. Excess mortality is also observed among residents of MR/MRS. The weekly number
of deaths from all causes decreased slightly compared to the previous week, but
remains high.
• Influenza:
• Very high incidence of general practitioner consultations for influenza-like illness (ILI) due
to influenza in week 4. Lower value observed in week 5 but not all data are
yet available.
• Increase in the number of influenza infections recorded by the laboratory monitoring network.
• High level of hospitalisations. Decreased compared to the previous week, however the
data may still be incomplete.
• Wastewater surveillance: high level, but decreasing.
• RSV:
• Number of positive laboratory tests: below the epidemic threshold.
• Decrease in the number of hospital admissions.
• High level in wastewater surveillance.
• SARS-CoV-2:
• Number of new cases and positivity rates stable and at low levels.
• Very low number of hospitalizations.
• Low level in wastewater surveillance.
...
Téléchargement 4.42 Mohttps://www.sciensano.be/fr/biblio/bulletin-infections-respiratoires-aigues-semaine-05-2025-publie-05-02-25