According to data provided by the Ministry of Health, the first six weeks of the year 2025 were the peak of the flu epidemic: the health inspection recorded 40 deaths due to the flu, in contrast to 11 linked to Covid-19, and seven caused by RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus).
From 10 to 16 February, the number of flu infections recorded by laboratories had diminished. The amount of infections fell from 2,049 to 1,617, a decline of 21% compared to the previous week.
The numbers indicate that the peak of flu season has passed. Nevertheless, the flu is still going around, and infections are still frequent among children and young adults.
The flu epidemic has been relatively severe since the beginning of winter, and was especially deadly for elderly people. Many children were also sent to the hospital due to serious infections.
The severity of the situation was caused by multiple factors: three kinds of virus are simultaneously circulating (H1, H3, and B predominantly), and the vaccine has proven to be less effective, especially for people aged 65 and older.
Although there are no precise statistics on the efficacy of the vaccine in Luxembourg, its effectiveness is estimated to lie at only 26% in France.
The rates appear to be similar in neighbouring countries. For example, numbers released by Public Health in France during the fourth week of January show that the flu represented 7.1% of deaths, whereas Covid 19 was only responsible for 0.9%.
