Syndromic surveillance summary: 16 March 2023 week 10
Updated 4 January 2024
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Reporting week 10: 6 March to 12 March 2023
Coronavirus (COVID-19)-like emergency department (ED) attendances continued to increase during week 10, particularly in adults aged 45 years and over. Other syndromic respiratory indicators, including acute respiratory infections and influenza-like illness decreased or remained stable and at or below expected levels. There were small increases in ‘impact of cold’ indicators in ED and ambulance systems, in line with the recent level 3 cold weather alert in place across in England during week 10.
Remote health advice syndromic surveillance system
NHS 111 calls for cold and flu, cough, sore throat and COVID-19 were stable during week 10 across all age groups. There was a small increase in difficulty breathing calls in children aged 5 to 14 years, in line with expected increases following the recent return to school. NHS 111 calls and online assessments for diarrhoea and vomiting increased during week 10, with calls mainly increasing in the 5 to 14 years age group.
Access the remote health advice syndromic surveillance bulletins on GOV.UK
GP in-hours syndromic surveillance system
During week 10, GP in-hours consultation rates for upper and lower respiratory tract infections decreased while influenza-like illness and COVID-19-like consultations remained stable. Chickenpox consultations increased during week 10 in children aged under 15 years, but rates remained below expected levels. There was a small increase in scarlet fever consultations, but these also remained below seasonally expected levels.
Access the GP in-hours syndromic surveillance bulletins on GOV.UK
GP out-of-hours syndromic surveillance system
Daily GP out-of-hours contact data from 4 August 2022 onwards has not been received due to a widely publicised disruption faced by one of the GP out-of-hours clinical software system providers. We have since been informed that this disruption was as a result of a cybersecurity incident caused by ransomware. We are working closely with our data provider to restore the daily syndromic feed.
Access the GP out-of-hours syndromic surveillance bulletins on GOV.UK
Emergency department syndromic surveillance system
‘COVID-19-like’ ED attendances continued to increase nationally during week 10 and there was a further increase in adults aged 45 years and over, and in particular the 65 years and over age group. Gastroenteritis attendances continued to increase nationally across most age groups. ED attendances for scarlet fever were stable but remained above seasonally expected levels. During week 10 there was a small spike in ED attendances for ‘impact of cold’ in line with the recent level 3 cold weather alert in place over England.
Access the emergency department syndromic surveillance bulletins on GOV.UK
Ambulance syndromic surveillance system
Ambulance calls for ‘difficulty breathing’ and ‘chest pain’ increased during week 10, but levels remained below baseline. Daily syndromic calls for ‘cardiac or respiratory arrest’ also increased. There was a small increase in ‘impact of heat or cold’ ambulance calls in line with the recent level 3 cold weather alert in place over England during week 10.
Access the ambulance syndromic surveillance bulletins on GOV.UK