Weekly Influenza and Acute Respiratory Infection Report

Current level of influenza activity:	Low
Trend:	Decreasing
News:	Influenza circulation is now returning to low levels. COVID-19 cases have increased since week 16. Additionally, detections of Mycoplasma pneumoniae remain elevated and recent weeks have seen increases in adenovirus and RSV.

For the latest annual influenza and acute respiratory infections in Wales reports see: Annual influenza surveillance and influenza vaccination uptake reports

Flu activity surveillance update

The GP consultation rate for influenza in Wales during week 19 reported through the GP Sentinel Surveillance of Infections Scheme was 2.7 consultations per 100,000 practice population..
The rate decreased compared to week 18 (4.7 consultations per 100,000).

Virological surveillance update

26 surveillance samples from patients with ILI symptoms collected by sentinel GPs and community pharmacies during Week 19. Of the 26 samples, one tested positive for influenza A (one influenza A(H1N1)), seven rhinovirus, five mycoplasma, five SARS-CoV-2, four parainfluenza, one influenza B and one enterovirus as at 15/05/2024.
During week 19, 1,201 hospital and non-sentinel GP patient samples underwent full respiratory screen multiplex testing by Public Health Wales Microbiology, of which, 20 were positive for influenza. A number of other causes of acute respiratory infection were identified (see full report). These tests are usually prioritised for symptomatic patients in hospitals, or less commonly community settings.
Confirmed RSV case incidence in children aged under 5 remained at baseline intensity levels.

Hospitalisations in confirmed cases of influenza and RSV

The 7-day rolling sums of cases hospitalised within 28 days of an influenza or RSV positive test result in the community (or up to two days post-admission) were seven and six respectively during Week 18, and 53 for SARS-CoV-2 during week 17 (latest data available).
For further information see the Public Health Wales Dashboard on hospital admissions in ARI cases

As of week 18, influenza consultations remained stable at 2.8 per 100,000 in England and decreased to 2.2 per 100,000 in Scotland. UK summary data is available from the UKHSA Influenza and COVID-19 Surveillance Report.
The WHO and the European Respiratory Virus Surveillance Summary (ERVISS) reported that influenza positivity is now below the 10% positivity epidemic threshold.
For more information on European level influenza surveillance see European Respiratory Virus Surveillance Summary (ERVISS)

The WHO reported on 08/05/2024, based on data up to 28/04/2024 that influenza activity continues to decrease in the northern hemisphere and elevated activity was reported in the southern hemisphere.
In the Northern hemisphere elevated activity is being reported in Central America and the Caribbean, due to influenza A viruses, and in Eastern Europe and Western Asia primarily due to influenza B viruses.
In the Southern hemisphere elevated influenza activity with mainly influenza A viruses was reported in South America. Some countries in Southern Africa reported elevated and increasing activity from prior weeks with both influenza A and B subtypes detected.
See full WHO influenza update

Since the 10 April and as of 17 April 2024, three new MERS-CoV cases, have been reported by Saudi Arabia. Since the beginning of 2023 and as of 01 February 2024, a total of 2200 human cases have been reported, including 858 deaths.
The latest WHO Influenza at Human-Animal Interface summary (08/04/2022 to 13/05/2022) reports that there have been no publicly available records from China or other countries on avian influenza A(H7N9) in recent months. Since February 2013, a total of 1,568 laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9), including at least 616 deaths, have been reported.
Updates are available from WHO Global Alert and Response
Latest WHO Influenza Monthly Risk Assessment Summary
Public Health Wales has published advice to health professionals which is available at MERS-CoV and Influenza H7N9 infection control preparedness