In the flu season that has just ended, 192 people have been confirmed to have died from influenza, more than at any time since registration. With the exception of two primary school children, all of these were adults. The overall age range was between 6 and 99 years.
Health Minister Petra Köpping (SPD) spoke of a "sad record". The season, characterized by a particularly high disease burden, underlines that influenza is not a harmless disease and that people should protect themselves with a vaccination.
According to the ministry, a total of 44,428 influenza cases were reported in Bavaria between October 2024 and mid-April 2025. This is the second-highest number of cases since the introduction of electronic reporting in accordance with the Infection Protection Act. Only in 2017/2018 was the figure even higher at 47,765, with the number of deaths at that time being 176.
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Berlin spoke of a particularly strong wave of influenza nationwide, which was also comparatively long with a duration of 16 weeks. In Saxony, it reached its peak in February. Illnesses occurred in all age groups, but mostly in primary school children, toddlers and 10 to 14-year-olds.
Vaccination rates are falling steadily
In Saxony, flu vaccination is recommended as standard for all people from the age of seven months, but people with a weak immune system are particularly advised to get it.
However, the vaccination rate has fallen steadily in recent years. The ministry sees various reasons for this, from simply missing out on the annual vaccination to fear of side effects or even vaccine damage, ignorance as well as misinformation and incorrect information to general vaccination skepticism.
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