Winter health watch summary: 23 January 2014
Published 23 January 2014
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1. Summary
All regions of England have been at Cold Weather Alert Level 1 ‘winter preparedness and action’ since 1 November 2013.
Increasing activity has been seen for several influenza indicators, including influenza positivity, with continued influenza-confirmed hospitalisations suggesting influenza is now circulating in the community.
Syndromic surveillance has nothing new to report. Selected indicators of influenza-like illness activity remain stable and below seasonally expected levels. National attendances for bronchitis/ bronchiolitis continue to decrease, particularly for young children.
Norovirus activity is low. Reports of outbreaks of diarrhoea and vomiting in hospitals continue to be reported but at lower levels than in previous years. The number of laboratory reports of norovirus in the season to date is lower than the five year seasonal average (from season 2007 to 2008 to season 2011 to 2012).
Rotavirus activity is low, laboratory reports are lower than the ten year average (2002 to 2011).
In week 3 of 2014, no excess all-cause mortality was seen across in Scotland and Northern Ireland and none has been reported since week 40 of 2013. Due to the bank holidays, there is no update for excess mortality estimates in recent weeks for England and Wales (no significant excess all-cause mortality was reported from week 40 to week 50 of 2013).
2. Surveillance reports, updated weekly
PHE syndromic surveillance page
PHE national seasonal influenza report
PHE weekly all-cause mortality surveillance
3. Further information
NHS England winter health check
Met Office Get Ready for Winter