VIENNA — Austria’s flu season appears to have arrived in earnest, with tens of thousands of insured workers forced to stay home last week because of colds, flu-like infections and influenza.
New figures from the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) show a sharp rise in sickness absences. In the week before last, 43,535 insured people were signed off work with flu-like infections. By the following week, that number had climbed to 56,160 — an increase of more than 12,600 people.
Influenza cases also rose, although from a much lower base. The ÖGK recorded 717 influenza cases in the latest week, up from 611 the week before.
The increase was strongest in Austria’s cities and densely populated regions. Vienna recorded the highest number of illness cases, followed by Upper Austria, Lower Austria and Styria.
Health experts say the pattern is typical of the start of the cold-weather season, when more people gather indoors, ventilation is poorer and respiratory viruses spread more easily. A flu-like infection can leave workers feverish, exhausted and unable to carry out normal duties for several days.
The figures suggest that Austria is entering what could become a demanding winter for employers, hospitals and families. With more people absent from work, businesses may face staffing pressures, while medical services could come under greater strain if severe cases increase.
Still, this year’s numbers remain below those recorded at the same point last year. In the same calendar week of 2025, just over 60,000 ÖGK-insured people were unable to work because of flu-like infections.
There is another difference: last year, cases had begun to fall slightly compared with the previous week. This year, they are still climbing.
Influenza itself was also more widespread at this stage last year. Austria recorded 469 influenza cases in calendar week 45 in 2025, compared with 717 in the same week this year.
The figures do not yet show whether Austria is facing an unusually severe flu season. But they do show that the virus is spreading quickly — and that many people are already feeling its effects.
For now, health authorities urge people with symptoms to rest, stay home when ill and take simple precautions such as regular handwashing and ventilation. As winter deepens, those measures may prove more important than ever.
