Slightly healthy: flu incidence has increased six-fold in Russia

The number of flu infections in Russia has increased sixfold compared to October 2025, Rospotrebnadzor reported on a conference call. At the same time, more recently, the A.A. Smorodintsev Influenza Research Institute noted that the incidence is even decreasing. The abrupt change in the situation was influenced by the cold snap in Russia and the departure of children from the holidays, experts interviewed by Izvestia believe. The peak of the flu and SARS season will be in January-February 2026, but the incidence will remain at a high level until the end of March-early April.

Where people get SARS and flu

The number of flu cases is increasing weekly in Russia, Rospotrebnadzor reported on a conference call on November 11, 2025. Compared to the beginning of October, the number of infections has increased more than six times in a week, the supervisory authority said.

"It is recommended to get vaccinated against influenza annually. Influenza viruses are constantly mutating, modified and new strains are appearing, so the updated vaccine protects better in the current season," the Rospotrebnadzor noted.

In Yakutia, the circulation of influenza viruses has increased over the past three weeks, according to the website of the local Department of Rospotrebnadzor. And in the Amur region, the incidence increased 6.5 times in a week, the regional department of Rospotrebnadzor reported. Meanwhile, the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections, community-acquired pneumonia and coronavirus is decreasing in the region. The sharp increase in the number of infections was also reported in the Rospotrebnadzor of the Sverdlovsk region.

Moscow also noted an increase in the proportion of influenza viruses in late October and early November 2025.

"Given the situation in the city, an increase in the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza is expected at the end of November," the website of the Rospotrebnadzor office in the capital says.

At the end of October 2025, a sharp increase in the incidence of influenza and acute respiratory viral infections was recorded in the Primorsky Territory, the regional Rospotrebnadzor reported. The number of cases increased by 50%. Then, in this regard, the educational process was temporarily suspended in eight groups of seven kindergartens due to outbreaks of colds.

From October 27 to November 2, 2025, more than 10,000 cases of influenza and acute respiratory viral infections were registered in Tatarstan, the incidence increased by 8.7%, the regional Rospotrebnadzor clarified.

"The number of cases has increased in the age groups of children 0-2 years old, 7-14 years old and over 15 years old," the department noted.

However, according to the Smorodintsev Influenza Research Institute, in the week from October 27 to November 2, there was a decrease in the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza. Last year, this period also saw a decline in the number of respiratory infections.

When will the incidence peak be

An increase in the incidence of influenza and acute respiratory viral infections is expected in December-January, said Vladimir Chulanov, chief freelance specialist in infectious diseases at the Russian Ministry of Health.

Therapist Svetlana Kanevskaya agreed with him.

— The increase in cases of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza is associated, in particular, with the cold snap, — she explained.

Also, according to the expert, the increase in cases of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza was caused by the departure of children from the holidays. The incidence will increase in the next month or two.

A similar pattern was observed last year, said Andrey Pozdnyakov, an infectious disease specialist at Invitro.

— An increase in the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza, as last year, is expected after the New Year holidays, — he noted.

The peak incidence, according to the infectious disease specialist, will be in January-February 2026. It will remain at a high level until the end of March and the beginning of April.

"The number of SARS and influenza infections during the peak period in 2026 will be the same as this year," the expert believes. — Their number could be reduced if more people were vaccinated this year.

As part of the All—Russian flu vaccination campaign, more than 59.4 million citizens have been vaccinated, which is 40.3% of the country's population, Rospotrebnadzor said on a conference call.

Long—term observations show that in different seasons the peak activity of diseases was recorded both in late October and early November, and before the New Year, said Dmitry Lioznov, director of the Influenza Research Institute, at a press conference at the Izvestia Research Center. According to him, last season the maximum incidence was registered at the end of January.

— Probably, by the end of the calendar year, we will see an increase in morbidity and the peak will already be after New Year's Eve, most likely, — the expert pointed out.

Immunization does not guarantee that a person will not get the flu at all, but the formulation of the drug significantly reduces the likelihood of a severe course and the development of dangerous complications, said Roman Ivanov, a doctor at the Hemotest laboratory. According to him, it's not too late to get a flu shot in November or early December.

"Children are seriously ill because their immune system has not yet encountered this virus, and for the elderly, as well as for people with chronic diseases, the virus is dangerous due to a weakened immune system," he said.

Vladimir Chulanov stressed that the vaccine protects a person from the development of a severe course of the disease, but is not able to prevent infection.

To prevent SARS infection, you should regularly wash your hands with soap or use skin antiseptics, try not to touch your face with dirty hands, avoid crowded places and contact with people who have symptoms of the disease, he recalled.