HPS Weekly National Seasonal Respiratory Report - week ending 6 January 2019

​In week 1, the rate of GP consultations for ILI remained below the baseline threshold for normal seasonal activity.

Influenza laboratory detections are at moderate activity levels in secondary care and normal seasonal activity levels in general practices. Influenza A(H1N1) is the dominant influenza strain thus far this season and is affecting a younger age group than observed last season which had been dominated by influenza A(H3N2).

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.

Please note that due to the reduced number of working days in weeks 52 and 1, data and trends in this report must be interpreted with caution. Further data is expected retrospectively for the last two weeks.