The number of people in the Netherlands who have a respiratory infection is increasing. More and more people have symptoms. A significant percentage of these people have the influenza (flu) virus. The annual flu epidemic seems to be starting. Besides the influenza virus, other viruses can also cause respiratory infections.

In October or November, many people will receive a new invitation to get the flu vaccine. The flu vaccine protects people who, because of their age or medical condition, are more likely to become ill or seriously ill from flu.

More and more people are coughing and sneezing, although it is not an epidemic at this point. The season in which respiratory infections circulate in the Netherlands has now started. There are various viruses that can cause respiratory infections.

The flu epidemic that started halfway through December 2022 is now over. This is the conclusion drawn by experts of RIVM, Erasmus MC and the Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (Nivel) on the basis of information supplied by GPs, hospitals and laboratories.

The Netherlands is experiencing a flu epidemic. The number of people with flu (influenza) increased significantly in the past two weeks. Laboratories, hospitals and GPs throughout the country report that the flu virus has been turning up in more throat and nasal samples from people with flu-like symptoms.

Hospitals reported an unusually large number of children presenting with RSV over the summer of 2021.