Ronan Kelly
Retired 2020
Influenza Surveillance in Ireland ? Weekly Report
Influenza Week 11 2016 (14th ? 20th March 2016)
http://www.hpsc.ie/A-Z/Respiratory/...lanceReports/20152016Season/File,15613,en.pdf
Summary
Influenza activity in Ireland decreased significantly during week 11 2016 (week ending March 20, 2016).
Reports of hospitalisations/ICU admissions associated with influenza continue to be reported. Influenza
A(H1)pdm09 is the predominant virus circulating, co-circulating with influenza B.
Influenza-like illness (ILI): The sentinel GP influenza-like illness (ILI) consultation rate was 16.9 per 100,000
population in week 11 2016, a decrease compared to the updated rate of 29.5 per 100,000 reported
during week 9 2016.
o ILI rates are now below the Irish baseline ILI threshold (18 per 100,000 population), following 10
weeks above baseline.
o ILI age specific rates decreased in all age groups during week 11 2016.
GP Out of Hours: The proportion of influenza?related calls to GP Out-of-Hours services remained stable.
National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL): Influenza positivity reported from the NVRL for all respiratory
specimens (sentinel and non-sentinel) decreased to 20% during week 11 2016. Of 366 sentinel and non- sentinel specimens tested, 72 were influenza positive: 43 A(H1)pdm09, 3 A(H3), 1 A (not subtyped) and 25 B.
o Influenza A(H1)pdm09 is the predominant virus circulating; co-circulating with influenza B. Overall, positive detections of influenza A(H1)pdm09 and influenza B have decreased each week
for five consecutive weeks.
o Sporadic detections of RSV, adenovirus, parainfluenza viruses and human metapneumovirus were
reported during week 11 2016. RSV activity remains at low levels.
All influenza A(H1)pdm09 and A(H3) viruses characterised in Ireland this season belong to genetic groups
that are antigenically similar to the strains recommended for inclusion in the 2015/2016 trivalent
influenza vaccines. Influenza B viruses characterised this season in Ireland belong to the B/Victoria
lineage; these viruses are not present in the 2015/2016 trivalent vaccine used in Ireland. Trivalent
vaccines are the most widely used influenza vaccines in Europe.
Hospitalisations: 1510 confirmed influenza hospitalised cases were notified to HPSC for the 2015/2016
season to date: 800 were associated with influenza A(H1)pdm09, 6 with A(H3), 221 with A (not subtyped)
and 483 with influenza B.
Critical care admissions: 14 confirmed influenza cases admitted to critical care units were reported to
HPSC since the last surveillance report, bringing the season total to 125 cases.
Mortality: 45 confirmed influenza cases died and were reported to HPSC for the 2015/2016 season.
Outbreaks: Two acute respiratory/influenza outbreaks in HSE-E were notified to HPSC during week 11
2016.
International: In the European Region, influenza activity may have peaked for the 2015/2016 season.
Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses have predominated this season in most countries, although in recent
weeks there has been a shift towards influenza B circulation.
...
Forty-five influenza cases died and were reported to HPSC for the 2015/2016 season to date: 29
associated with influenza A(H1)pdm09, eight with influenza A-not subtyped, seven with influenza B and
one possible influenza case. The median age of confirmed influenza cases who died this season is 64
years.
No excess all-cause mortality was reported in Ireland during week 11 2016. For the 2015/2016 season to
date, excess all-cause mortality was reported during weeks 1, 3 and 4 2016, after correcting GRO data for
reporting delays with the standardised EuroMOMO algorithm. Please note these data are provisional
due to the time delay in deaths? registration in Ireland.
...
Influenza Week 11 2016 (14th ? 20th March 2016)
http://www.hpsc.ie/A-Z/Respiratory/...lanceReports/20152016Season/File,15613,en.pdf
Summary
Influenza activity in Ireland decreased significantly during week 11 2016 (week ending March 20, 2016).
Reports of hospitalisations/ICU admissions associated with influenza continue to be reported. Influenza
A(H1)pdm09 is the predominant virus circulating, co-circulating with influenza B.
Influenza-like illness (ILI): The sentinel GP influenza-like illness (ILI) consultation rate was 16.9 per 100,000
population in week 11 2016, a decrease compared to the updated rate of 29.5 per 100,000 reported
during week 9 2016.
o ILI rates are now below the Irish baseline ILI threshold (18 per 100,000 population), following 10
weeks above baseline.
o ILI age specific rates decreased in all age groups during week 11 2016.
GP Out of Hours: The proportion of influenza?related calls to GP Out-of-Hours services remained stable.
National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL): Influenza positivity reported from the NVRL for all respiratory
specimens (sentinel and non-sentinel) decreased to 20% during week 11 2016. Of 366 sentinel and non- sentinel specimens tested, 72 were influenza positive: 43 A(H1)pdm09, 3 A(H3), 1 A (not subtyped) and 25 B.
o Influenza A(H1)pdm09 is the predominant virus circulating; co-circulating with influenza B. Overall, positive detections of influenza A(H1)pdm09 and influenza B have decreased each week
for five consecutive weeks.
o Sporadic detections of RSV, adenovirus, parainfluenza viruses and human metapneumovirus were
reported during week 11 2016. RSV activity remains at low levels.
All influenza A(H1)pdm09 and A(H3) viruses characterised in Ireland this season belong to genetic groups
that are antigenically similar to the strains recommended for inclusion in the 2015/2016 trivalent
influenza vaccines. Influenza B viruses characterised this season in Ireland belong to the B/Victoria
lineage; these viruses are not present in the 2015/2016 trivalent vaccine used in Ireland. Trivalent
vaccines are the most widely used influenza vaccines in Europe.
Hospitalisations: 1510 confirmed influenza hospitalised cases were notified to HPSC for the 2015/2016
season to date: 800 were associated with influenza A(H1)pdm09, 6 with A(H3), 221 with A (not subtyped)
and 483 with influenza B.
Critical care admissions: 14 confirmed influenza cases admitted to critical care units were reported to
HPSC since the last surveillance report, bringing the season total to 125 cases.
Mortality: 45 confirmed influenza cases died and were reported to HPSC for the 2015/2016 season.
Outbreaks: Two acute respiratory/influenza outbreaks in HSE-E were notified to HPSC during week 11
2016.
International: In the European Region, influenza activity may have peaked for the 2015/2016 season.
Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses have predominated this season in most countries, although in recent
weeks there has been a shift towards influenza B circulation.
...
Forty-five influenza cases died and were reported to HPSC for the 2015/2016 season to date: 29
associated with influenza A(H1)pdm09, eight with influenza A-not subtyped, seven with influenza B and
one possible influenza case. The median age of confirmed influenza cases who died this season is 64
years.
No excess all-cause mortality was reported in Ireland during week 11 2016. For the 2015/2016 season to
date, excess all-cause mortality was reported during weeks 1, 3 and 4 2016, after correcting GRO data for
reporting delays with the standardised EuroMOMO algorithm. Please note these data are provisional
due to the time delay in deaths? registration in Ireland.
...