Syndromic surveillance summary: 12 December 2024 week 49
Updated 19 December 2024
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1. Reporting week 49: 2 December to 8 December
During week 49, acute bronchiolitis and acute respiratory infection indicators decreased in children aged under 5 years. Emergency department (ED) attendances and GP in-hours consultation indicators for influenza-like illness (ILI) increased, particularly across adult age groups. ED ILI attendances particularly increased across the East and West Midlands and North East regions of England. NHS 111 calls and GP in-hours consultations for vomiting increased in children aged 1 to 4 and 5 to 14 years.
2. Remote health advice syndromic surveillance system
During week 49, NHS 111 triaged calls and online assessments for acute respiratory infections (ARI) continued to increase but below seasonally expected levels. ARI increases were observed in adults aged 15 years and over while there was a decrease in ARI calls in children aged under 5 years. Triaged calls for vomiting continued to increase in children aged 1 to 4 and 5 to 14 years. There was also an increase in calls for eye problems in children aged 1 to 4 and 5 to 14 years of age.
Remote health advice syndromic surveillance bulletins
3. GP in hours syndromic surveillance system
During week 49, consultation rates for upper and lower respiratory tract infections increased in line with seasonally expected levels, however rates decreased in children aged under 5 years. There was also a decrease in bronchiolitis consultations, again in the under 5 years age group. Influenza-like illness rates increased, most notably in the 5 to 64 years age groups and also across the Midlands, North East and Yorkshire and Humber regions where rates were above baseline levels. Vomiting consultations also increased in children aged 1 to 4 and 5 to 14 years during week 49.
GP in-hours syndromic surveillance bulletins
4. GP out-of-hours syndromic surveillance system
During week 49 GP out-of-hours contacts for acute respiratory infections continued to increase however contacts in children aged under 5 years decreased. Acute bronchitis/bronchiolitis contacts also decreased in children aged under 5 years. Contacts for influenza-like illness increased across age groups 1 year and over while fever also increased, particularly in children aged 5 to 14 years.
GP out-of-hours syndromic surveillance bulletins
5. Emergency department syndromic surveillance system
During week 49, emergency department attendances for acute respiratory infections increased, however attendances decreased in children aged under 5 years while increasing across all other age groups. Acute bronchitis/bronchiolitis attendances decreased in children aged under 5 years. There was a further increase in influenza-like illness (ILI) attendances across all age groups. While national ILI attendances were in line with seasonally expected levels, ILI attendances in the West and East Midlands and North East regions were above expected levels.
Emergency department syndromic surveillance bulletins
6. Ambulance syndromic surveillance system
During week 49, ambulance dispatch calls for difficulty breathing and ‘cardiac or respiratory arrest’ remained stable and similar to baseline levels.