Current Health Crisis in Germany: Cold, Flu, and COVID-19 Trends

Data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) indicates that approximately 4.8 million people in Germany experienced a new acute respiratory infection (ARE) per week during the period of May 11 to May 17, 2026.

According to the GrippeWeb weekly report released on May 22, 2026, the incidence of these infections stood at 5,700 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. This represents a trend that has been increasing since Easter, although the RKI notes that the overall activity level remains low.

The RKI further observed that the seasonality for acute respiratory infections during this period was higher than usual.

Distinction Between Respiratory Infections and Influenza-Like Illnesses

The surveillance data distinguishes between general acute respiratory infections and influenza-like illnesses (ILI), which are defined as respiratory infections accompanied by a fever.

For the week of May 11 to May 17, 2026, the estimated number of people with an influenza-like illness was approximately 700,000. The incidence for ILI was 800 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Unlike the general rise in respiratory infections, the incidence of ILI has remained relatively stable at a very low level since calendar week 14 of 2026. The RKI reported that the seasonality for these fever-associated infections was consistent with usual patterns.

COVID-19 and Influenza Trends

The report highlights that COVID-19 incidence has remained low since mid-January 2026, staying below 100 infections per 100,000 inhabitants according to GrippeWeb data.

Similarly, the incidence of influenza-associated respiratory infections recorded via GrippeWeb-Plus was very low during this period. This finding was corroborated by wastewater analysis, which showed a very low influenza virus load.

GrippeWeb Methodology and Data Collection

The estimates for the German population are based on self-reported data from individuals registered with GrippeWeb. For the reporting period ending May 17, 2026, 9,232 participants submitted reports.

Among these participants, 503 reported having an acute respiratory infection and 62 reported having an influenza-like illness.

The RKI stated that through subsequent reports, approximately 13,200 reports per week are typically considered for these evaluations.

Future Surveillance Schedule

The RKI has announced a transition in reporting frequency for the summer months. Starting the week following the May 22 report, GrippeWeb data will be provided in a short-form version on the institute’s website.

In addition to the short-form updates, the institute will produce a monthly report summarizing the previous four weeks of data. The next comprehensive GrippeWeb monthly report is scheduled for release in calendar week 24 of 2026.

The RKI continues to update its ARE dashboard on a weekly basis to monitor respiratory health trends across the population.