This year’s flu jab is proving effective at combating the disease even though an unusually high number of patients have needed intensive care, medical researchers have told NOS.

So far 97% of patients treated for flu have been infected with the H1N1 virus, which the current vaccine is designed to prevent. ‘On average a jab prevents 70% of flu, so this is quite a bit higher,’ Gé Donker of research institute Nivel told the Radio 1 Journaal.

The vaccine does not give protection against the type B virus of the Victoria strain, which was largely responsible for the high number of cases last winter.

Intensive care

There have been hardly any cases with the Victoria virus so far this year in the Netherlands, but in Belgium it has been responsible for 38% of infections, according to Carl Koppeschaar of the Big Flu Survey (Grote Griepmeting), which tracks the progress of the illness through the two countries.

‘Although this variety has hardly been seen in the Netherlands, there’s a good chance it is coming our way,’ Koppeschaar said.

Last week the Dutch Association of Hospitals (NVZ) reported that intensive care staff had their hands full caring for flu patients. Staff noted that some otherwise healthy patients were severely affected by the disease, needing intensive treatments such as heart-lung machines and taking longer than usual to recover.