Health

Germany Respiratory Disease Surveillance Report 2025/26: Influenza, COVID-19, and RSV Trends

By Dr Natalie Singh - Health Editor Updated October 2, 2026

Germany recorded roughly 180 million acute respiratory infections during the 2025/26 winter season, according to data released by the Robert Koch Institute (Rki). Despite the high overall volume—which included infections from influenza, COVID-19, RSV, rhinoviruses, and seasonal coronaviruses—the Rki classified the season as moderate overall because total case numbers and peak values fell below those recorded in the two preceding winters.

Nearly 23,000 Hospital Deaths Recorded During Moderate Winter Season

The Rki reported that roughly 429,000 patients with severe acute respiratory infections required hospital care in Germany during the 2025/26 winter. Within that hospitalized group, approximately 22,700 patients died. The peak of the respiratory wave occurred in late January and early February 2026, aligning directly with the peak of the annual influenza wave. Across the wider outpatient sector, the Rki recorded about 37 million doctor visits due to acute respiratory illnesses.

Age groups experienced the burden unevenly. Small children averaged 4.6 acute respiratory infections over the winter, while adults aged 60 and older averaged 1.3 infections. The overall infection count remained lower on population, outpatient, and inpatient levels than in the two prior winter seasons.

Influenza Wave Dominates Peak Months with 12 Million Cases

The influenza epidemic began in late November 2025 and lasted for 15 weeks. Population surveillance estimates indicate that roughly 12 million people—about 14 percent of Germany’s population—contracted influenza during this period. Influenza A viruses drove the transmission almost entirely.

Hospitals admitted an estimated 105,000 severe acute respiratory infection cases carrying an influenza diagnosis, matching the volume seen in the previous winter. However, children under five years old and adults aged 60 and older exceeded their totals from the two prior seasons. Approximately 9 percent of these influenza-related hospital cases required intensive care unit treatment.

RSV Activity Rises While COVID-19 Cases Decline

Respiratory Syncytial Virus activity ran slightly higher in most monitoring systems compared to the previous winter. Reports estimate that a 14-week RSV wave caused roughly 7.9 million acute respiratory infections. Hospitals treated an estimated 34,000 severe acute respiratory infection cases with an RSV diagnosis across the winter, with infants and young children bearing the heaviest burden. For infants, doctor consultations carrying an RSV diagnosis dropped to about half the volume recorded in the 2023/24 season.

Conversely, COVID-19 dropped compared to the prior two years. The Rki estimated roughly 15 million acute respiratory infections driven by SARS-CoV-2 and approximately 22,000 hospitalized severe acute respiratory infection cases carrying a COVID-19 diagnosis. Throughout the period from summer 2025 through the end of the winter season, adults aged 60 and older accounted for more than 80 percent of COVID-19-related hospitalizations, with 14 percent of those patients requiring intensive care.

Influenza and RSV Deaths Decline for Winter Season

Mortality surveillance data compiled by the Rki recorded an estimated 16,000 deaths linked to combined influenza and RSV infections during the winter season, down from roughly 19,000 the previous winter. The Rki stated that its mortality surveillance cannot separate deaths specifically between influenza and RSV. Individuals aged 85 and older accounted for the majority of these fatalities.

The Rki monitors these trends continuously using multiple syndromic and virological systems, including GrippeWeb for population symptom tracking, the ARE practice sentinel for outpatient visits, and the SARI hospital sentinel for severe inpatient admissions. Genomic analyses and wastewater surveillance supplement these datasets to track pathogen evolution.

Frequently Asked Questions About Germany’s Respiratory Season

Which age group experienced the highest number of acute respiratory infections?

Small children experienced the highest frequency, averaging 4.6 acute respiratory infections over the winter, whereas adults aged 60 and older averaged 1.3 infections per person.

How long did the influenza wave last in the 2025/26 season?

The influenza wave started in late November 2025 and persisted for 15 weeks, infecting an estimated 12 million people nationwide, as reported using Rki surveillance data.

Why did the Rki classify the 2025/26 winter season as moderate?

The Rki classified the season as moderate because population-level, outpatient, and inpatient disease numbers, alongside seasonal peak values, all remained lower than those observed during the two preceding winter seasons.