Virus WAtch Week Ending 8 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) have increased over the past fortnight, but remain low overall.
• ILI presentations to sentinel general practitioners (GPs) remain low.
• Routine and sentinel detections of influenza virus remain low, with influenza A/H3N2 constituting the majority of subtyped viruses; influenza A/H1N1 and influenza B continue to co-circulate.
• There were modest increases in RSV and rhinovirus detections this week, but overall non-influenza respiratory virus detections remain low.

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 near or below baseline levels.
• No cases of measles, mumps or rubella were confirmed this week.

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