Virus WAtch Week Ending 22 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 decreased this week.

Gastroenteritis

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

Varicella and Viral Rashes

• Both shingles and chickenpox presentations to sentinel EDs and GPs are above baseline levels.
• No cases of measles, mumps or rubella were confirmed this week.

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