Virus WAtch Week Ending 15 March 2015

Megan Reilly

Virus WAtch Week Ending 15 March 2015

Influenza and Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI)

Summary: Influenza and non-influenza respiratory virus activity remain low and at inter-seasonal levels.

  • ILI presentations to sentinel emergency departments (EDs) and general practitioners (GPs) remain low.
  • Routine and sentinel detections of influenza virus remain low, with influenza A/H3N2 constituting the majority of subtyped viruses.
  • Non-influenza respiratory virus detections continue to fluctuate at low levels.

Gastroenteritis

  • Presentations to sentinel GPs and EDs are consistent with this time period during previous years.
  • Norovirus detections decreased this week.

Varicella and Viral Rashes

  • Both shingles and chickenpox presentations to sentinel EDs and GPs are around baseline levels.
  • One case of measles was confirmed in an adult who was exposed while overseas. No cases of mumps or rubella were confirmed this week.

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