Be treated well: regions have begun to quarantine schools due to SARS and flu
Since the beginning of September 2025, an increase in the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza has been registered in at least ten regions, Izvestia found out. Schools and kindergartens have already begun to be quarantined in three of them. The reason is the return of people to society after a period of vacations and vacations, experts recalled. According to Rospotrebnadzor, 425 thousand cases of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza were registered in the country in the first week of September. The peak incidence may occur in late autumn, experts interviewed by Izvestia believe.
Where the incidence has increased
The incidence of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza increased in at least ten regions from September 1-7, Izvestia found out after analyzing data from the regional departments of Rospotrebnadzor. The rise was detected, for example, in Irkutsk, Kursk, Sverdlovsk and Amur regions, as well as in Udmurtia, Karelia and Bashkiria.
In total, according to Rospotrebnadzor, 425 thousand cases of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza have been registered in the country over the past week. Non-influenza etiology viruses predominate among the circulating respiratory viruses, the department noted. So far, isolated cases of influenza infection have been registered in the country, the head of the department, Anna Popova, said in an interview with Izvestia.
Also, according to Rospotrebnadzor, there is an increase in the incidence of COVID‑19.
"At the same time, the level remains low: 11.4 thousand cases were detected in the 36th week of 2025," the ministry stressed.
In Karelia, during the week from September 1 to September 7, more than 1.6 thousand cases of SARS infection and 16 cases of COVID-19 were registered.
"Compared to the previous week, there has been an increase in the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza among the population by 27.46%," the local Rospotrebnadzor noted.
According to the agency, rhinoviruses, parainfluenza and COVID-19 have been isolated during monitoring of the circulation of respiratory viruses.
During this period, more than 20 thousand cases of acute respiratory viral infections were registered in the Sverdlovsk region.
"This is above the level of the last week of summer by 30.8%. In the structure of morbidity, 49.1% are children," the website of the Department of Rospotrebnadzor for the region says.
Rhinovirus, parainfluenza viruses, respiratory syncytial virus, COVID-19, metapneumoviruses and bocaviruses were detected in the examined patients in the region.
In Udmurtia, the number of SARS cases increased by 22% last week compared to the previous one and amounted to 7.4 thousand people.
"More than 3.3 thousand cases of the disease have been registered among children under 15 years of age," according to the website of the local Rospotrebnadzor.
Currently, according to the agency, the educational process has been partially suspended in seven preschool institutions.
Quarantine is also in effect in some kindergartens of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Natalia Sadykova, deputy head of the regional department of Rospotrebnadzor, said at a press conference at the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Information Center. She also noted that it is planned to introduce quarantine in schools closer to the end of September.
"The decision will be made by educational institutions independently — to introduce distance learning for this period or to suspend the educational process altogether," she stressed.
In Bashkiria, restrictive measures are now being applied in certain classes, said Elena Shakirova, deputy head of the regional department of Rospotrebnadzor.
In the Amur region, the incidence rate of acute respiratory viral infections during this period, according to the agency, is 57.4% higher than last week. At the same time, they noted that the epidemic threshold in the region as a whole has not been exceeded.
"The growth is associated with the active involvement of school—age children in the epidemic process during the beginning of the school year," the website of the regional department of Rospotrebnadzor says.
Over the past week, more than 7 thousand cases of SARS infection have been registered in the Irkutsk region, according to the website of the local Rospotrebnadzor.
"The circulation of the influenza virus has not been established. Nevertheless, there is an increase in morbidity in all age groups of the population," the ministry noted.
In the Kursk region, according to the local Rospotrebnadzor, the rate of increase in the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections is also "gradually but steadily increasing."
"According to the results of last week, almost 4 thousand cases of acute respiratory viral infections were registered in the region, of which more than 60% of cases occur in children under the age of 14," the website of the Department of Rospotrebnadzor for the region says.
In the first week of September, an increase in the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections caused by respiratory viruses of non-influenza etiology was registered in almost all regions of Russia, Rospotrebnadzor told Izvestia.
"This is typical for this time period," the ministry stressed.
They also noted that a decree was issued by the Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Russia "On measures to prevent influenza, acute respiratory viral infections and new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in the epidemic season of 2025-2026."
According to the decree, the regions have begun implementing a set of preventive and anti-epidemic measures aimed at preventing the spread of influenza and SARS, including immunization of the population against influenza, training of medical, educational and other organizations to work during the period of high incidence of influenza and SARS.
When is the peak incidence expected?
The beginning of a seasonal increase in the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza in the autumn period is expected. This is due to the massive return of people to work and study after summer vacations and vacations, which leads to close contacts in teams and contributes to the spread of viruses, Andrei Pozdnyakov, an infectious disease specialist at Invitro-Siberia, told Izvestia.
According to him, the peak incidence of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza traditionally occurs in the winter period — December and January. But this year it may also be late autumn. The second wave of cases is predicted in March, he added.
Andrey Kostikov, a therapist at Dr. Alexandrovsky's medical center, also called the increase in morbidity traditional.
— The incidence begins to increase gradually in September – October, with a peak in December – February, — he noted.
According to the expert, this is due not only to the return of children to schools and kindergartens, but also to the cooling, the establishment of a comfortable temperature for the circulation of viruses.
A decrease in the incidence usually occurs by the middle of spring, when collective immunity is formed and weather conditions improve, added Roman Merkulov, epidemiologist at the UNI Clinic Medical Center.
Observing sleep and rest patterns, avoiding stress, proper nutrition and vaccination will help minimize the risks of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza, said therapist Svetlana Kanevskaya. Also, according to her, it is important to follow hygiene rules — wash your hands with soap, treat with antiseptics and use wet wipes.
Andrey Pozdnyakov noted that in 2025-2026, as in 2024, swine flu and Hong Kong flu will prevail.
"The Hong Kong flu poses a great danger to the population, as it can overcome the interspecific barrier, but so far there are no such prerequisites," the expert emphasized.
He also said that the WHO recommendations on the composition of vaccines for this year have not changed dramatically compared to the past: three—component vaccines include two variants of influenza A strains and one of the variants of influenza B, four-component vaccines contain the same and another of the variants of influenza B.
— If you choose what to vaccinate with, it is better to choose four-component drugs. The protection will be more complete," said Andrey Pozdnyakov.
It is necessary to start vaccinating now, because there is still no high level of seasonal respiratory viral infections, Anna Popova noted in an interview with Izvestia.
— It takes time for the immune system to develop. That's why it's worth getting vaccinated now to be ready for the season," she explained.
The risk group for influenza includes children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart and respiratory diseases, Svetlana Kanevskaya reminded. According to her, even the usual swine flu can be dangerous for them.
— It is important for everyone to get vaccinated against influenza, which takes place in the country from September to December, but for people from risk groups first of all, — she noted.
Roman Merkulov added that it takes 2-4 weeks to develop immunity, so it is better not to postpone vaccination and take it now, before the incidence reaches a peak.
According to Andrey Pozdnyakov, the flu rarely goes away without complications. The most common are secondary bacterial infections, such as vascular damage, hemorrhages, fatigue, and joint pain.
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