Respiratory virus infections comprise a serious global health problem [1]. For efficient and effective disease control, monitoring of local outbreaks needs to be supported by knowledge of regional distribution patterns. Spatial mapping can be a useful tool for increased understanding of the development of respiratory virus distribution during seasonal epidemics and pandemics.

Earlier studies suggest a west to east directional continental spread in Europe for seasonal influenza during two seasons [2, 3], and a general west to east and south to north spread of Respiratory Syncytial Virus during a time span of 15 years between 1999 and 2014 [4]. The aim of this study is to map the spatiotemporal patterns of seasonal influenza during a 10-year period, and the emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus and associated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pattern, and to examine if outbreak waves of these viruses display a southwest to northwest directional movement, across 18 European countries.