VirusWAtch Week Ending 14 September 2014

Influenza and Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI)

Summary: Influenza and non-influenza respiratory virus activity continues to decline.

• Most indicators of influenza activity, including notifications, proportion of positive laboratory tests for influenza, ILI presentations to Emergency Departments (ED) and influenza-associated hospitalisations decreased this week.
• The majority of influenza viruses subtyped were influenza A/H1N1, although influenza A/H3N2 and influenza B continue to co-circulate.
• Overall detections of non-influenza respiratory viruses declined this week.

Gastroenteritis

• Gastroenteritis presentations to sentinel GPs and EDs are relatively stable and at expected levels.

Varicella and Viral Rashes

• Shingles and chickenpox presentations to sentinel general practitioners (GPs) continue to fluctuate at around baseline levels; shingles presentations to sentinel EDs are above baseline level.
• No confirmed cases of measles, mumps or rubella were reported.

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