First Death of the Season: 56-Year-Old Woman Dies of the Flu

Saxony has reported its first death of the flu season. A 56-year-old woman from the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district died in the hospital last week from the flu, according to the weekly report from the State Research Institute (LUA). According to the report, she had a serious underlying medical condition that was being treated with chemotherapy. The “Sächsische Zeitung” and “Leipziger Volkszeitung” reported on the story.

Slightly More Cases Than Last Season

From the start of the season on September 28 through October 18, 104 people in Saxony have been infected with influenza, according to LUA data. This figure is slightly higher than last season, when there were 86 infections at the same time. Leipzig has reported the most cases so far (24), followed by Dresden (16) and the district of Northern Saxony (14).

The LUA currently reports a moderate overall level of respiratory tract infections. Among the reported infections, COVID-19 ranks first with 114 cases so far, ahead of influenza. Most cases were recorded among older adults and seniors. RSV infections have been reported significantly less frequently so far.

New Record High for Flu Deaths in 2025/2026

During the past flu season, 258 people in Saxony died from influenza—more than ever before. The previous record of 202 deaths from the 2024–2025 season was surpassed, even though there were significantly fewer cases: From late September 2025 through late April 2026, 28,550 people contracted the virus—nearly 16,000 fewer than in the 2024/2025 season.

The flu season runs from the 40th calendar week through the 17th calendar week of the following year.