There are still no signs of easing in Austria regarding the current rampant flu wave. Figures from last week show continued high activity of the flu virus. There is also a call – especially aimed at high-risk groups – to get vaccinated against the flu. It is not too late for that, they emphasized.
There were fewer sample submissions due to the holiday season. However, the positive rate was a high 46 percent, according to MedUni Vienna’s Center for Virology on Wednesday.
As reported, there were two child deaths in Upper Austria associated with the “real” flu (influenza). In addition, according to the broadcast of the Kepler University Hospital in Linz on Monday, there are dangerous secondary diseases. An affected child is in acute danger of dying from heart muscle inflammation, others suffer from brain inflammation or Guillain Barre syndrome (acute ascending paralysis) as a result of the flu.
There is still plenty of vaccine available for children
“It is not too late for preventive care this winter either,” emphasized pediatrician Rudolf Schmitzberger, head of the department of vaccination matters at the Austrian Medical Association. It is a catastrophe that children have died from flu infections or are in mortal danger with myocardia, as is currently the case in Upper Austria: “This is particularly bitter against the background that there are still enough nasal vaccines for children available in Austria ”, he emphasized in a broadcast.
Hundreds of flu deaths every year
Every year, an average of 15 out of 100,000 people in Austria die from the flu. According to the Ministry of Health, this equates to more than 1,000 deaths per year. However, the number varies greatly depending on the virus variant. In the last major flu wave in 2016/17, the number of fatalities was estimated at more than 4,000 according to AGES data. There have been no flu outbreaks in the past two winters due to the corona measures.
Babies, small children, pregnant women, the chronically ill and the elderly over the age of 60 are particularly at risk of a serious course of events: more than 60 percent of all flu-related hospital admissions and about 90 percent of deaths occur in the elderly and children age group .
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
