The flu is coming to the fore: The Ministry of Health predicts full circulation of the virus by spring
1 January 21:29
The Ministry of Health of Ukraine assesses the current epidemic season as moderate, but predicts active circulation of influenza viruses in January, February and March.
This was announced on television by Deputy Minister of Health, Chief State Sanitary Doctor Igor Kuzin, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
Current situation
According to the Ministry of Health, about 1.3 million people have already suffered from influenza and acute respiratory viral infections since the beginning of the epidemic season in Ukraine.
Despite the significant number of cases, the Ministry does not record extremely high incidence rates. At the same time, the structure of infections is changing: while other SARS used to prevail, the influenza virus will dominate starting in January.
“January, February, and March are likely to be characterized by full circulation of the influenza virus,” Kuzin said.
Who is at risk
The Ministry of Health identifies two key risk categories:
- professional groups: healthcare workers, educators, and workers in the consumer services sector;
- medical groups: people with immunocompromised conditions, cardiovascular and oncological diseases.
For both groups, annual flu vaccination is recommended, which, according to Kuzin, can be done throughout the epidemic season.
In addition to seasonal infections, the Ministry of Health draws attention to other threats:
- Measles – the level of vaccination remains insufficient for collective immunity. A significant number of children have not yet been vaccinated due to relocation, religious beliefs, or other reasons. The Ministry of Health does not rule out a worsening of the epidemic situation next year.
- Tetanus – under martial law, the risk of injury increases. Adults are reminded of the need for revaccination every 10 years.
- Rabies – there is an increase in the incidence among animals and an increase in the number of human bites. The Ministry of Health emphasizes the importance of seeking immediate medical care to assess risks and prescribe anti-rabies prophylaxis.
Latest data
According to the Ministry of Health, in just one week – from December 22 to 28, 2025 – more than 120 thousand Ukrainians fell ill with influenza, COVID-19 and other ARVI.
The Ministry of Health expects a stable but long flu season without sharp outbreaks. At the same time, doctors emphasize that vaccination and timely medical care remain key tools to reduce risks, especially for vulnerable groups.
