Syndromic surveillance summary: 23 February 2023 week 7
Updated 4 January 2024
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Reporting week 7: 13 February to 19 February 2023
During week 7, acute respiratory syndromic indicators remained stable overall. However, there were increases observed in adults aged 65 years and over for NHS 111 cold and flu calls and emergency department (ED) coronavirus (COVID-19) attendances. GP in-hours consultations and ED attendances for scarlet fever decreased again during week 7; however, activity remained just above seasonally expected levels.
Remote health advice syndromic surveillance system
During week 7, NHS 111 calls and online assessments for cold and flu and ‘potential COVID-19’ remained stable overall nationally; however, there were increases noted in adults aged 65 years and over in both indicators. NHS 111 calls for diarrhoea continued to increase across all age groups during week 7, but calls remained at expected levels.
Access the remote health advice syndromic surveillance bulletins on GOV.UK
GP in-hours syndromic surveillance system
During week 7, GP in-hours consultation rates for respiratory indicators decreased or remained stable. There were small decreases in scarlet fever nationally in children aged 1 to 4 and 5 to 14 years although rates remain above seasonally expected levels. GP consultation rates for conjunctivitis remained stable overall, but are still above 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
During week 7, ED attendances for acute respiratory infections and influenza-like illness remained stable overall and similar to seasonally expected levels. There were, however, further increases in ‘COVID-19-like’ ED attendances, particularly in adults aged 65 years and over. There were also further increases in gastroenteritis attendances, but they remained below seasonally expected levels. ED attendances for scarlet decreased slightly during week 7.
Access the emergency department syndromic surveillance bulletins on GOV.UK
Ambulance syndromic surveillance system
During week 7, ambulance calls for ‘difficulty breathing’ and ‘chest pain’ increased nationally. Ambulance calls for ‘overdose or ingestion or poisoning’ also increased during week 7 and were above expected levels.
Access the ambulance syndromic surveillance bulletins on GOV.UK