Austria's respiratory virus season has taken a turn for the better, with both influenza and RSV activity dropping to near-dormant levels across the country and throughout the European Union. The flu season, which began in early December 2025 and wrapped up by mid-February 2026, was notably different from its predecessors—arriving four weeks earlier than expected but lasting three weeks shorter than the year before.
The numbers tell a story of intensity followed by swift decline. When influenza peaked in the first week of January, nearly half of all respiratory samples tested positive, a 47% positivity rate that reflected widespread circulation. A second peak arrived at the end of January with a 34% positivity rate, after which cases steadily retreated to background levels. Unlike previous seasons that saw a mix of influenza strains, this year's outbreak was almost entirely dominated by influenza A, with the A(H3N2) subtype accounting for the vast majority of cases. Influenza B, by contrast, appeared in just 1% of all samples—a striking absence.
Hospital admissions painted a more complex picture. Though the flu season was shorter, the peak week of the 2025/2026 season saw 894 admissions per week, surpassing the previous year's peak of 703 admissions. This suggests that while influenza circulated for fewer weeks, the cases that did occur were notably severe. The same pattern emerged with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which peaked at the end of February with a maximum positivity rate of 22%—significantly higher than the previous year—before subsiding over the course of nine weeks.
Now, with both viruses retreating across the EU and EEA, public health attention has shifted to prevention for the seasons ahead. Austria's health authorities are emphasizing annual influenza vaccination as the most effective defense against severe disease and complications, particularly for people at risk of serious illness, their close contacts, and those whose living or working circumstances put them at higher exposure risk. The vaccine is available free to all age groups under the public vaccination programme, with the Austrian government recommending vaccination from six months of age and ideally administered between mid-October and November, before the next flu season begins.
A study published in April 2026 offers additional encouragement for vaccination: research suggests that the influenza vaccine can reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular events—such as heart attacks—even when breakthrough infections do occur. As viruses continue to evolve, so too must vaccines. The World Health Organization's February recommendation for the 2026/2027 flu season reflected particular attention to 'subclade K,' a notably different variant of A(H3N2) that emerged in August 2025 and has since spread globally, underscoring the constant vigilance required to keep vaccines aligned with circulating threats.
Austria's experience—a short, intense season followed by rapid decline—offers a glimpse into how respiratory viruses continue to surprise public health systems even as surveillance systems grow more sophisticated. The lesson appears clear: remaining vigilant during peak season, seeking vaccination well before it arrives, and maintaining flexible vaccine strategies ensures that communities are as prepared as possible when these seasonal threats emerge.