The RS virus is on the rise in Austria. The number of people being treated in hospital due to an infection is increasing.
Vienna – Cough, runny nose, fever: In the winter months, the coronavirus, the flu and all sorts of other illnesses cause problems for people. This is the case in Germany – and also in neighboring Austria. Wastewater data had recently confirmed a record corona wave there. Now other viruses are on the rise – including influenza and RSV.
| RSV | Respiratory syncytial virus |
| illness | Upper and lower respiratory tract |
| incubation period | Two to eight days |
| Affected | People of all ages |
| RSV season in Austria | November to April |
Wave of illness in Austria: flu and RSV on the rise
“The flu wave has Austria firmly under control,” said Andreas Krauter, chief physician at the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK). today.at. The number of sick people has continued to rise due to flu infections and influenza, said the expert. Monika Redlberger-Fritz, virologist at MedUni Vienna, predicted that the numbers would continue to rise in the next one to two weeks. The course of infections with the RS virus appears to be similar.
RSV wave in Austria – How does the disease manifest itself?
The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) belongs to the family Pneumoviridae. It is an RNA virus, as the Robert Koch Institute informs on its website. The disease particularly affects young people. RSV is “one of the most important pathogens causing respiratory infections in infants, especially premature babies, small children and older adults,” according to the RKI. The symptoms are similar to those of an influenza infection. Common symptoms include cough, runny nose and fever.
RSV wave is rolling over Austria – the numbers at a glance
As can be seen from the SARI dashboard, the RSV wave in Austria began towards the end of 2023. The Austrian RSV network (ÖRSN) of the Medical University of Vienna has described the situation in Germany's neighboring country as “beginning” since the 52nd calendar week epidemic activity”. This designation is based on the “number of RSV detections at the Center for Virology and percent of positive virus detections in the submissions per calendar week”.
The SARI dashboard shows 254 inpatient admissions due to RSV in the 52nd calendar week. A first peak emerged in the first calendar week of 2024: 296 people were admitted to hospital, 13 of whom were treated in intensive care. In a federal state comparison, Vienna was the most affected, with 63 people in hospital. The SARI dashboard provides a general overview of inpatient admissions in Austrian hospitals with diagnoses of severe acute respiratory infections (Covid-19, influenza, RSV, etc.).
After inpatient admissions had decreased in the second calendar week (201 inpatients), there were now signs of a renewed increase. Two weeks later (week 4) there were already 338 people who were hospitalized due to RSV. However, the SARI dashboard notes that this number is not yet final. It literally says: “Since corrections and late reports are to be expected on an ongoing basis, the data stock can still change.” It can therefore be assumed that the number will continue to rise.
The number of people who were hospitalized due to RSV – an overview
| calendar week (year) | Numbers normal ward / numbers intensive care unit |
| 47 (2023) | 19/1 |
| 48 | 33/3 |
| 49 | 50/2 |
| 50 | 94/2 |
| 51 | 139/3 |
| 52 | 248/6 |
| 1 (2024) | 283/13 |
| 2 | 194/7 |
| 3 | 221/4 |
| 4 | 330/8 |
| 5 | 231/8 |
Source: SARI Dashboard
RSV, Corona
and flu – How high are the proportions of inpatient admissions in Austria?
A look at another dashboard clearly shows that the coronavirus wave in Austria is slowly decreasing. RSV and influenza are replacing Covid-19, as shown by the evaluation of people admitted to hospital proportionally according to their diagnosis. The three diseases have great overlap in symptoms. As a layperson, it is sometimes not so easy to see what you are actually suffering from. This is how the symptoms of flu, RS virus and corona differ.
Since the 52nd calendar week, treatment in an Austrian hospital due to RSV has occurred, particularly in small children (zero to four years old) and in older people aged 60 and over. A similar picture emerged in Germany. In February, the RKI wrote: “Small children are particularly affected by hospital admission with RSV infection.”
In this country, respiratory diseases rose to record levels in November 2023. It was the worst wave in five years. (mbr)
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