COVID-19 in Austria
Current COVID-19 activity in Austria — based on ECDC ERVISS weekly data from AGES (Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit).
Current situation: COVID-19
In week 14 of 2026, activity of COVID-19 in Austria is low. The trend — derived from clinical surveillance — is stable. A slight downward trend has emerged over recent weeks.
The classification is based on the ECDC ERVISS weekly reports, drawing on COVID-19 surveillance data from AGES (Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit) via its sentinel GP network and the Nationale Referenzzentrale für Influenza. Seasonally, infection waves in Austria typically peak during winter, with occasional summer waves driven by new variants; activity is usually markedly lower in late spring between waves. How severe a given season becomes depends on the circulating virus variant and the population's immune status, among other factors.
Data sources and methodology
The current picture for Austria is built on the European Respiratory Virus Surveillance Summary (ERVISS), published weekly by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). AGES (Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit) via its sentinel GP network and the Nationale Referenzzentrale für Influenza is the national public-health authority that feeds ERVISS with sentinel primary care and virology data.
ECDC ERVISS
ERVISS is ECDC's weekly pan-European surveillance summary for influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and RSV. National authorities — in Austria's case AGES (Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit) via its sentinel GP network and the Nationale Referenzzentrale für Influenza — submit harmonised indicators every week, which ECDC publishes in a standardised dataset on Thursdays. Using ERVISS rather than each country's native portal ensures cross-country comparability.
ILI / ARI consultation rates and positivity
AGES (Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit) via its sentinel GP network and the Nationale Referenzzentrale für Influenza operates a sentinel network of general practices that report weekly rates of patients consulting for influenza-like illness (ILI) or acute respiratory infection (ARI). A subset of patients is swabbed and tested by reference laboratories, producing pathogen-specific positivity rates for flu, SARS-CoV-2 and RSV.
Why this source
Combining consultation incidence with virological positivity yields a pathogen-specific weekly incidence signal (ILI × positivity / 100). This is the standard European methodology and provides a more robust view than either indicator alone — consultation rates capture illness burden, positivity confirms which pathogen is driving it.
Qualitative classification
The “low”, “moderate” and “high” categories follow seasonal reference values and epidemiological thresholds calibrated to match our classifications for other countries. The ILI × positivity / 100 product is scaled to comparable thresholds using a divisor of 3, which aligns European sentinel peaks with the consultation-equivalent scale used elsewhere. Data refreshes weekly when ECDC publishes the latest ERVISS update, typically on Thursdays.
Frequently asked questions
How is COVID-19 monitored in Austria today?
COVID-19 surveillance in Austria is now integrated into the broader respiratory-virus monitoring run by AGES. Key indicators include sentinel GP consultations, laboratory positivity, hospitalisations and ICU admissions for severe acute respiratory infection, and variant characterisation at the National Reference Centre. Results are published weekly and also reported to ECDC for inclusion in ERVISS.
Is COVID-19 still a concern in Austria?
COVID-19 is endemic in Austria and continues to cause winter hospitalisations, concentrated in older adults and people with chronic or immunosuppressive conditions. Vaccination and prior infections mean most adults experience an illness similar to flu or a heavy cold. Targeted booster campaigns and symptomatic monitoring have replaced general restrictions, and AGES tracks the weekly picture alongside flu and RSV.
When do COVID-19 waves happen in Austria?
COVID-19 in Austria has not settled into a single seasonal rhythm. Winter waves overlapping with flu and RSV are the most consistent pattern, but summer or spring upticks have occurred when immune-escape variants emerged. Rising positivity and hospital-admission trends are AGES's early-warning signals for a shift from baseline to elevated activity.
Who is eligible for a COVID-19 booster in Austria?
The Austrian Nationales Impfgremium recommends seasonal COVID-19 boosters primarily for adults aged 60 and above, people with relevant pre-existing conditions, pregnant women, and healthcare workers. Vaccines are available through pharmacies, GP practices, and regional vaccination points. AGES publishes uptake and virological-surveillance updates in the same weekly cycle.
Are new variants still tracked in Austria?
Yes. Austrian laboratories and the AGES National Reference Centre continue to sequence SARS-CoV-2 samples from hospital and sentinel cases. Most emerging lineages cause illness comparable to their predecessors, but variants with substantial immune escape can drive larger waves. Austrian variant-trend reports feed into ECDC ERVISS for EU-wide context.
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