In Bavaria there are signs of a corona autumn wave. For almost two weeks, the incidences have been pointing upwards again, as can be seen from figures from the Robert Koch Institute. On Saturday, the authority for the Free State reported a value of 367.6. That was almost 63 percent more than two weeks earlier. This means that the incidences in Bavaria are currently rising much faster than in Germany, where the increase within 14 days was just under 34 percent. And the development is not only reflected in the incidence figures, which only provide a very incomplete picture. The State Office for Health and Food Safety reported 933 hospital admissions in connection with Corona within seven days on Saturday. That’s 31.2 more than a week earlier. The occupancy of intensive care beds with corona patients has also been increasing again for some time. According to the RKI, the current highest incidences in Bavaria are in the district of Eichstätt with 961.6 and the city and district of Rosenheim with 861.3 and 858.1 respectively. These are also the highest numbers in Germany. In both cases there is a connection with folk festivals – in Eichstätt the festival lasted from September 2nd to 11th, the autumn festival in Rosenheim ran from August 27th to September 11th. And there were also folk festivals in September in Passau, Kelheim and Freising, the districts with the next highest incidences in Bavaria. The Oktoberfest in Munich, which is considered the largest folk festival in the world, has so far only had a minor impact on the figures in the state capital. At 311.2, the incidence here is even below the Bavarian average – but it rose by a good 52 percent within a week. This is faster than in the Free State as a whole, but far removed from the sometimes drastic increases that were observed at many other folk festivals. However, this does not yet mean an all-clear for the Wiesn wave, which is also feared by experts: empirical values from other folk festivals show that waves of infection that have occurred there usually only become apparent in the incidence figures after a good one and a half weeks. However, the Oktoberfest has only been running for a little over a week. Experts have been assuming for some time that there will be a large number of corona cases not recorded by the RKI – mainly because by far not all infected people have a PCR test done. Only positive PCR tests count in the statistics. In addition, late registrations and transmission problems can lead to the distortion of individual daily values.
Holetschek calls for flu vaccination
Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) calls for flu vaccination. The flu and Covid 19 waves could coincide this winter, Holetschek said on Sunday. Therefore, everyone should not only think about the corona booster vaccination, but also about the flu vaccination. Holetschek emphasized that the flu season could come earlier and more violently this year. The reason for the vaccination appeal is the development in the southern hemisphere, so this year Australia had the most flu infections in the past five years. The Federal Standing Committee on Vaccination (Stiko) recommends an annual flu vaccination for people aged 60 and over. The minister warned: “The flu is a serious illness that should not be taken lightly. In severe cases, for example, pneumonia or heart muscle inflammation can occur.” Holetschek pointed out that flu and corona vaccinations could be given at the same time in accordance with Stiko’s recommendation. This also applies to the corona booster vaccination.