Virus WAtch Week Ending 8 June 2014 Influenza and Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI) Summary: Non-influenza virus activity increased this week, particularly respiratory syncytial virus, but influenza activity remains low. ILI presentations to sentinel general practitioners (GPs) and influenza notifications remain low. ILI presentations to emergency departments (EDs) increased this week; hospital admissions for influenza remain low. The majority of influenza viruses subtyped in the past week were influenza A/H1N1, but influenza A/H3N2 and influenza B viruses are also circulating. Detections of […]

The Operational Directive Healthcare Associated Infection Surveillance in Western Australian Healthcare Facilities has undergone revision and is now available on the website at http://www.health.wa.gov.au/circularsnew/circular.cfm?Circ_ID=13106

Virus WAtch Week Ending 1 June 2014 Influenza and Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI) Summary: Non-influenza virus activity increased this week, but influenza activity remains low. ILI presentations to sentinel general practitioners (GPs) and emergency departments (EDs), and influenza notifications and hospital admissions remain low. Of the influenza viruses subtyped in the past week, 50% were influenza A/H1N1, but influenza A/H3N2 and influenza B viruses are also circulating. Detections of non-influenza respiratory viruses increased this week, particularly respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus, and […]

The Hunter health authority is warning peak gastro season has begun with aged care facilities and child care settings already falling victim to outbreaks. Find out more http://www.theherald.com.au/story/2302870/health-warning-after-gastro-outbreak/?cs=305

http://www.public.health.wa.gov.au/cproot/5768/2/20140518_virus_watch.pdf Influenza and Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI) Summary: Influenza activity remains low. ILI presentations to sentinel general practitioners (GPs) and emergency departments (EDs) remain low; the number of persons hospitalised with influenza also remains low. There was a small increase in the number of influenza cases notified to the Department of Health. Influenza virus detections remain low, with influenza A/H1N1, influenza A/H3N2 and influenza B co-circulating. Overall detections of non-influenza respiratory virus detections remained stable this week, with RSV and rhinovirus […]

Disease WAtch is the newsletter of Communicable Disease Control in Western Australia.  It provides analysis, expert opinion and hot issues relating to infectious disease control in Western Australia. May topics of interest include: Measles cases linked to Philippines outbreak Avian influenza A(H7N9) virus in China WA lifts uptake in antenatal influenza vaccination Regional teams working to ‘Close the Gap’ sexually transmitted infections Bold new direction for 2014 chlamydia campaign Rising immunisation rates a win for regional WA Community alliance helping […]

20140511_virus_watch Influenza and Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI) Summary: Non-influenza respiratory virus activity is increasing; indicators of influenza activity remain low. ILI presentations to sentinel general practitioners (GPs) and emergency departments (EDs) remain low and consistent with inter-seasonal levels. The number of persons hospitalised with influenza remains low. Influenza virus detections remain low, with influenza A/H1N1, influenza A/H3N2 and influenza B co-circulating. Non-influenza respiratory virus detections increased this week; in particular, detections of respiratory syncytial virus and parainfluenza viruses increased.  Gastroenteritis  Gastroenteritis […]

20140504_virus_watch Influenza and Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI) Summary: Respiratory syncytial virus activity (RSV) remains elevated this week, but influenza activity remains low. ILI presentations to sentinel general practitioners (GPs) and emergency departments (EDs) remain low and consistent with inter-seasonal levels. The number of persons hospitalised with influenza remains low. Influenza virus detections remain low, with influenza A/H3N2 and influenza B co-circulating. Non-influenza respiratory virus detections varied, with an increase in parainfluenza activity, a decrease in rhinovirus and adenovirus activity, and little […]

The Department of Health Western Australia (WA) recently published its revised Operational Directive (OD) on Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE).  The OD describes the requirements for routine screening and subsequent management of people identified with VRE in WA healthcare facilities.  You can view the OD at http://www.health.wa.gov.au/CircularsNew/circular.cfm?Circ_ID=13088  

On Monday 5 May 2014 the WHO Director General (DG) declared the recent international spread of wild poliovirus a “public health emergency of international concern” and issued Temporary Recommendations under the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005. The Temporary Recommendations are for an initial period of 3 months and only apply to travellers from the 10 countries deemed to have active transmission of poliovirus: Pakistan, Cameroon, Syrian Arab Republic (Syria), Afghanistan, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel, Somalia and Nigeria.  Under these […]