Nearly eight million people in Germany are currently experiencing symptoms of respiratory illnesses, with an unusually high number of cases among children aged 5 to 14. As of mid-February, nearly one in six children was ill, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
“There is a renewed rise in flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases, leading to more severely ill infants and young children requiring hospitalization,” said Bonn-based pediatrician Axel Gerschlauer in an interview with Rheinische Post.
However, many German hospitals are facing a shortage of beds and medical staff, making it difficult to provide adequate care during the infection season, Gerschlauer warned.
Key symptoms include breathing difficulties, poor appetite, and high fever. Additionally, the flu can cause muscle inflammation, particularly in the calves, according to Tobias Tenenbaum, head of the German Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases (DGPI). “Children in this condition cannot walk normally and experience severe pain,” he explained, adding that such cases often require hospitalization.
