After nearly three months of flu season in Belgium, the epidemic is now officially over, according to data by the Sciensano National Health Institute published on Monday.
The epidemic started the week before Christmas and resulted in many people feeling under the weather, as the flu virus was going around at the same time as Covid-19, RSV, the common cold and the mycoplasma bacteria this season.
While the feeling prevailed that it was worse than previous seasons, Scienscano said the epidemic this year was "characterised by a medium intensity" compared to previous years, but did add that it had a "relatively long duration" of 11 weeks.
As of last week, the number of GP consultations for flu caused by influenza is back "at baseline level," peaked in early February and has been below the epidemic threshold since the last week of February. "The seasonal flu epidemic is therefore considered to be over," the report said. "Usually, a seasonal flu epidemic in Belgium lasts between 6 and 12 weeks."
However, for those who thought they were finally done coughing, sneezing and battling the sniffles, there is some other bad news: birch pollen season has begun early this year, meaning that people with allergies may suffer more severe symptoms than usual.
