HPS Weekly National Seasonal Respiratory Report - week ending 27 October 2019

​​Overall assessment:

• Influenza activity was at Baseline levels in the community and in closed settings.
• There is evidence that there has been an early start to the annual RSV season with laboratory detections at Low activity level.

In week 43:

• The rate of influenza-like illness (ILI) was at Baseline activity level (3.7 per 100,000).
• The proportion of NHS24 respiratory calls was at Baseline activity level (16.2%).
• The swab positivity in primary care was at Baseline activity level (0%, 0/18).
• The swab positivity in secondary care was at Baseline activity level (2.8%, 15/535).
• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was at Low activity level. The number of RSV detections increased and have breached the threshold into Low activity level indicating the start of the annual RSV season.
• Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Parainfluenza virus and Rhinovirus were at Low activity level. The rest of the non-flu respiratory pathogens were at Baseline activity levels.
• There was 1 new acute respiratory illness outbreak 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 Low activity level in week 41. This small excess was observed in all ages and in those aged 65 years and above.