Now that many measures have been released, people have more contact with others and the risk of respiratory infections such as flu may also increase, say research institute Nivel and the RIVM.
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The number of people with the flu has increased significantly in recent years. An influenza virus was found in even more throat and nose samples last week, according to data from Nivel, the RIVM health institute and Erasmus MC. An influenza virus was found in more than half of the samples last week.
“We generally speak of a flu epidemic when more than 58 in 100,000 people visit their GP for two weeks in a row with flu-like symptoms and at least 10 percent of these people have the influenza virus,” explains Nivel.
According to the organization, it will be difficult to determine whether there is a flu epidemic this winter, says Nivel. “The flu symptoms are very similar to those of the coronavirus and many people with flu-like complaints will go to a GGD test street or do a self-test. As a result, fewer people with respiratory infections go to the doctor than in previous years.”
GGD samples also examined
Since November 2021, some of the samples from corona test streets have been examined by RIVM for the presence of flu viruses. “We see the increase in the number of flu viruses not only in general practice, but also in the GGD test streets,” the researchers say. “And labs and hospitals are also reporting an increase.”