The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has observed a surprisingly strong increase in respiratory diseases in Germany, especially given the season.
At the beginning of July, around 6,000 cases per 100,000 inhabitants were reported, which is approximately 6 percent of the population. Notably, one in eight samples tested positive for COVID-19.
This development was reported by the news outlet n-tv, referencing RKI-published data.
Rising Corona Infections
According to the latest weekly report by RKI, most of these infections are caused by common cold viruses such as rhinoviruses, but the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is also increasingly circulating again.
The proportion of COVID-19 infections is 12.1 percent, making it the second most common pathogen currently. The coronavirus variant KP3, an offshoot of the JN.1 subline, is currently widespread in Germany.
Influenza viruses, on the other hand, no longer play a significant role at the moment.
Hospitalization Rates and Detection
A look at the hospitals shows that the number of severe respiratory infections remains low.
The RKI notes that COVID-19 is currently being diagnosed primarily in older patients. Nevertheless, the majority of corona infections remain undetected outside of hospitals, which means that the virus is still active in the population.
What is particularly worrying is the fact that the current data situation is patchy after the end of the Corona testing requirement. However, indications suggest an increased risk of infection.
Wastewater monitoring, which is used to monitor infectious agents, shows an increasing viral load. At the beginning of July, the RKI received samples from 143 German sewage treatment plants.
Overall, the RKI advises caution, especially for older and weakened citizens. The available data show that the increase in infections is unusual for the time of year but is still far below the extent of previous corona waves.
Virologists are closely monitoring the situation, especially with regard to possible new coronavirus variants and the risk of transmission of the H5N1 bird flu virus to humans.
