Flu and COVID-19 surveillance report published
Weekly national influenza and COVID-19 report, COVID-19 activity, seasonal flu and other seasonal respiratory illnesses.
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‘Come forward now for vaccination’ urges UKHSA
This fortnightly flu and COVID-19 report brings together the latest surveillance data along with the latest public health advice.
With early signs of COVID-19 rates increasing and new data showing the 2022 autumn booster prevented over 14,000 hospitalisations, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is urging those eligible to come forward now for vaccination.
COVID-19 surveillance up until end of week 40
Multiple indicators show that COVID-19 case rates have slightly increased compared to our previous report.
A total of 12.0% of 3,848 respiratory specimens reported through the Respiratory DataMart System were identified as COVID-19. An increase compared to 10.4% of 4,898 from the previous report.
Pillar 1 positivity for this week’s report is 17.5%, an increase from 14.4% in our previous report.
The overall COVID-19 hospital admission rate was 6.13 per 100,000 population, an increase from 4.36 per 100,000 from the previous report.
Intensive care unit (ICU) admission rates for this week’s report were 0.20 per 100,000 population, an increase from 0.11 per 100,000 in the previous report, but these levels remain low.
Hospital admission rates have increased in all age groups, except 5- to 14-year-olds, which has decreased.
Those aged 85 years and over continue to have the highest hospital admission rates; these have increased to 62.72 per 100,000 population from 44.86 per 100,000 in the previous report.
Admission rates among those aged 75 to 84 years have increased to 30.04 per 100,000 population from 20.20 per 100,000 in the previous report.
Hospital admission rates for COVID-19 are highest in the South West, with a rate of 9.57 per 100,000 population.
A total 35.3% (3,942,129 out of 11,164,326) of all people aged over 65 years old who are living and resident in England had been vaccinated with an autumn 2023 booster dose since 1 September 2023.
New analysis by UKHSA indicates that the autumn 2022 booster programme prevented an estimated 14,400 hospitalisations.