Research and analysis

Reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories in England and Wales: week 50, 2020, to week 2, 2021

Updated 3 March 2021

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/respiratory-infections-laboratory-reports-2020/reports-of-respiratory-infections-made-to-phe-from-phe-and-nhs-laboratories-in-england-and-wales-week-50-2020-to-week-2-2021

Weekly National Influenza and COVID-19 Surveillance reports

Read the latest weekly National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report.

Laboratory-confirmed respiratory infections (non COVID-19)

Data is recorded by week of report, but include only specimens taken in the last 8 weeks (meaning recent specimens).

Table 1. Reports of influenza infection made to PHE Colindale, by week of report

Week Week 50 Week 51 Week 52 Week 53 Week 1/21 Week 2/21 Total
Week ending 13/12/2020 20/12/2020 27/12/2020 3/1/2021 10/1/2021 17/1/2021  
Influenza A 15 12 10 7 11 7 62
Isolation 2 2 – 2 1 – 7
DIF * – – – – – – 0
PCR 11 9 9 5 10 7 51
Other † 2 1 1 – – – 4
Influenza B 14 17 16 6 10 4 67
Isolation 1 3 1 1 – – 6
DIF * – – – – – – 0
PCR 11 14 15 4 10 4 58
Other † 2 – – 1 – – 3

* DIF: Direct Immunofluorescence.
† Other: ‘Antibody detection – single high titre’ or ‘Method not specified’.

Table 2. Respiratory viral detections by any method (culture, direct immunofluorescence, PCR, 4-fold rise in paired sera, single high serology titre, genomic, electron microscopy, other method, other method unknown), by week of report

Week Week 50 Week 51 Week 52 Week 53 Week 1/21 Week 2/21 Total
Week ending 13/12/2020 20/12/2020 27/12/2020 3/1/2021 10/1/2021 17/1/2021  
Adenovirus * 35 48 31 37 41 34 226
Coronavirus ** 11 32 23 47 65 33 211
Parainfluenza† 8 7 8 10 12 10 55
Rhinovirus 213 315 198 158 145 116 1145
RSV 4 7 2 3 3 4 23

* Respiratory samples only.
** Seasonal coronavirus only. Does not include SARS-CoV-2.
† Includes parainfluenza types 1, 2, 3, 4 and untyped.

Table 3. Respiratory viral detections by age group: weeks 50, 2020 to 2, 2021

Age group (years) <1 year 1-4 years 5-14 years 15-44 years 45-64 years ≥65 years Unknown Total
Adenovirus * 37 104 19 34 10 22 – 226
Coronavirus ** 11 7 10 54 45 84 – 211
Influenza A 7 14 10 9 11 9 2 62
Influenza B 4 21 13 10 12 9 1 70
Parainfluenza † 9 17 4 7 7 11 – 55
Respiratory syncytial virus 5 1 5 2 4 4 2 23
Rhinovirus 231 328 161 157 106 162 5 1145

* Respiratory samples only.
** Seasonal coronavirus only. Does not include SARS-CoV-2.
† Includes parainfluenza types 1, 2, 3, 4 and untyped.

Table 4. Laboratory reports of infections associated with atypical pneumonia, by week of report

Week Week 50 Week 51 Week 52 Week 53 Week 1/21 Week 2/21 Total
Week ending 13/12/2020 20/12/2020 27/12/2020 3/1/2021 10/1/2021 17/1/2021  
Coxiella burnettii – – – – – – 0
Respiratory Chlamydia sp.* – 1 1 4 2 – 8
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 2 4 4 8 2 5 25

* Includes Chlamydia Psittaci, Chlamydia Pneumoniae, and Chlamydia sp detected from blood, serum, and respiratory specimens.

Legionnaires Disease cases in England and Wales

Read the latest Legionnaires’ disease monthly surveillance reports: 2020.

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