HPS Weekly National Seasonal Respiratory Report - week ending 23 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 8:

• The rate of influenza-like illness (ILI) was at Baseline activity level (9 per 100,000).
• The proportion of NHS24 respiratory calls was at Baseline activity level (16.1%).
• The swab positivity of influenza in primary care was at Low activity level (31.6%, 6/19).
• The swab positivity of influenza in secondary care was at Low activity level (8.6%, 74/857).
• The incidence rate of influenza in secondary care was at Baseline activity level (1.5 per 100,000 population).
• The number of new acute respiratory illness outbreaks with onset in week 8 was at Baseline activity level (n=0).
• The number of new SARI cases admitted to ICU during week 8 was at Baseline activity level (n=0).
• There was 1 new SARI death reported. The SARI case-fatality rate (CFR) reported since week 40 2019 was 16.9% (12/71) and remains below expected seasonal levels (range 22.9% - 35.6%).
• The all-cause mortality excess for “all ages” was at Baseline activity level in week 6.