HPS Weekly National Seasonal Respiratory Report - week ending 24 November 2019

Overall assessment:

• Influenza activity in the community was at Baseline levels.
• Influenza activity in close settings is increasing and was at Low levels.
• A Scottish addendum to the Public Health England guidance on use of antiviral agents for the treatment and prophylaxis of seasonal influenza has been published on the HPS website.​​

In week 47:

• ​The rate of influenza-like illness (ILI) was at Baseline activity level (12.4 per 100,000).
• The proportion of NHS24 respiratory calls was at Moderate activity level (22%).
• The swab positivity of influenza in primary care was at Baseline activity level (24.1%, 7/29).
• The swab positivity of influenza in secondary care was at Low activity level (15.3%, 130/851).
• The incidence rate of influenza in secondary care was at Baseline activity level (2.4 per 100,000 population).
• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) w​​as at Moderate activity level. The number of RSV detections increased and breached the threshold in week 42 into Low activity level indicating the start of the annual RSV season.
• Human Metapneumovirus (HPMV), Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Rhinovirus were at Low activity level. The rest of the non-flu respiratory pathogens were at Baseline activity levels.
• There were 2 new acute respiratory illness outbreaks reported (Baseline activity level).
• There were no cases reported of laboratory confirmed influenza with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) requiring intensive care management (Baseline activity level).
• There were no SARI deaths reported.
• The all-cause mortality excess was at Baseline activity level in week 45.