UK Flu Levels Update

The latest Public Health England (PHE) report published at 2pm on 23 January 2020, shows that seasonal flu continues to circulate across the UK, although activity is decreasing.

Over the last week, GP consultations with flu-like illness decreased from 14.7 per 100,000 to 10.3 per 100,000 and are now below baseline levels.

Flu hospitalisation and intensive care admission rates also decreased from 2.43 per 100,000 to 1.44 per 100,000 and 0.21 per 100,000 to 0.13 per 100,000 respectively – suggesting flu is having a low impact on hospital admissions as well as intensive care unit and high dependency unit admissions.

The report also shows that in week 3, 2020, no statistically significant excess all-cause mortality by week of death had been seen yet overall or by age group in England this season.

Currently, 71.4% of adults over 65, 42.5% of adults with a long-term health condition, 42.4% of pregnant women, 40.9% of 3-year-olds and 40.3% of 2-year-olds have received the flu vaccine.

At the same time last year, 70.8% of adults over 65, 46.2% of adults with a long-term health condition, 44.5% of pregnant women, 44.6% of 3-year-olds and 42.7% of 2-year-olds were vaccinated.

Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, Head of Flu, Public Health England said:
"Although flu activity is decreasing, it is still circulating in the community.

"The best defence against flu is the vaccine and it’s not too late to protect yourself and your family. Anyone who is eligible and has not yet been vaccinated should contact their GP or pharmacist without delay.

"Uptake among 2 to 3-year-olds is behind where we would like to see it, so we are calling on parents to get their children vaccinated as soon as possible.

"Current evidence suggests the vaccine is a good match for the main strain of flu that is circulating."