HPS Weekly National Seasonal Respiratory Report - week ending 3 November 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.
• 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 44:

• The rate of influenza-like illness (ILI) was at Baseline activity level (7.5 per 100,000).
• The proportion of NHS24 respiratory calls was at Low activity level (17.5%).
• The swab positivity in primary care was at Baseline activity level (4.2%, 1/24).
• The swab positivity in secondary care was at Baseline activity level (4.4%, 26/586).
• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was at Low activity level. The number of RSV detections increased and have breached the threshold in week 42 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 ​Baseline activity level in week 42.