HPS Weekly National Seasonal Respiratory Report - week ending 9 February 2020

Overall assessment:

• Influenza activity is showing signs of decreasing with almost all indicators suggesting
  falling activity. There remains evidence of circulation of influenza within the community and
  closed settings. A CMO letter was issued in week 49 advising that GPs may prescribe antivirals.
• 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 6:

• The rate of influenza-like illness (ILI) was at Baseline activity level (10.2 per 100,000).
• The proportion of NHS24 respiratory calls was at Low activity level (17.1%).
• The swab positivity of influenza in primary care was at Baseline activity level (11.1%, 2/18).
• The swab positivity of influenza in secondary care was at Low activity level (12.0%, 87/728).
• The incidence rate of influenza in secondary care was at Baseline activity level (1.7 per 100,000 population).
• The number of new acute respiratory illness outbreaks with onset in week 6 was at Moderate activity level (n=3).
• The number of new SARI cases admitted to ICU during week 6 was at Baseline activity level (n=0).
• There were no new SARI deaths reported. The SARI case-fatality rate (CFR) reported since week 40 2019 was 15.7% (11/70) and remains below expected seasonal levels (range 22.9% - 35.6%).
• The all-cause mortality excess was at Baseline activity level in week 4.​