UK Seasonal Influenza 2025-2026

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Updated 20 November 2025
National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report: 20 November 2025 (week 47)

This report summarises the information from the surveillance systems which are used to monitor COVID-19 (caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)), influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and diseases caused by other seasonal respiratory viruses in England. The report is based on data up to week 46 of 2025 (between 10 November and 16 November 2025).​


Main points


The main messages of this report are:

• Influenza activity showed mixed trends and is circulating at low levels. This is an unusually early start to the influenza season
• COVID-19 activity decreased across most indicators and is circulating at baseline levels
• RSV activity increased and is circulating at low levels
• reduced mixing due to school half-term holidays may have impacted disease trends

Summary of all respiratory virus activity

Influenza activity


Influenza activity showed mixed trends and is circulating at low levels. This is an unusually early start of the influenza season. Circulation remained high in children and young adults. Emergency department (ED) attendances for influenza-like-illness (ILI) increased. The number of influenza-confirmed acute respiratory infection (ARI) incidents decreased. Of influenza viruses subtyped at the UKHSA Respiratory Virus Unit, the majority were A(H3N2). A briefing has been issued to inform the NHS that the flu season has started. UKHSA has published early vaccine effectiveness estimates.

Compared with the equivalent week last season (2024 to 2025), influenza vaccine uptake is higher for pregnant women, and those aged 2 and 3 years, and comparable for those aged 65 years and over and those aged under 65 years in clinical risk groups.

Laboratory surveillance	Decreased slightly	Low	Influenza positivity decreased slightly with a weekly mean positivity rate of 11.1% compared with 11.7% in the previous week
ILI general practice (GP) consultations	Stable	Baseline	The weekly ILI consultation rate remained stable at 7.4 per 100,000 registered population in participating GP practices compared with 7.1 per 100,000 in the previous week
GP swabbing positivity	Increasing	Medium	In week 46, among all tested samples, 25% were positive for influenza, compared with 14.2% in the previous week
Hospital admissions	Slightly decreasing	Low	The overall weekly hospital admission rate for influenza hospitalisations was slightly decreasing at 3.37 per 100,000 compared with 3.68 per 100,000 in the previous week
Intensive care units (ICU)/High-dependency unit (HDU) admissions	Decreasing	Baseline	The overall weekly hospital admission rate for influenza ICU-HDU was decreasing at 0.10 per 100,000 compared with 0.11 per 100,000 in the previous week. This rate was on the border between baseline and low impact range.

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continued: https://www.gov.uk/government/stati...-surveillance-report-20-november-2025-week-47

 

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[Briefing mentioned in Post #1]

Serial number: BN2025/042Date:05 11 2025
Event: Influenza A(H3N2) early season activity in England: implications for clinical practice and laboratory referral

Sent on behalf of:
Thomas Waite, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, Department of Health and
Social Care
Shona Arora, Interim Chief Medical Advisor, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)

​Excerpt:
​
Summary:

• Influenza is now circulating in the community with earlier than usual onset of

activity in the 2025 to 2026 season, and with an A(H3N2) drifted strain (K, also

known as J.2.4.1) predominating

• A(H3N2) predominance is associated with higher morbidity and mortality,

particularly in the elderly, than when A(H1N1) predominates

• All eligible groups should be encouraged to get vaccinated with the 2025 to 2026

seasonal influenza vaccine as soon as possible

• Prompt antiviral post exposure prophylaxis and treatment for seasonal influenza

should be offered to eligible groups

• Antivirals guidance for treatment and prophylaxis of seasonal influenza has been

updated – health professionals should familiarise themselves with the key updates

which simplify first line recommendations, strengthen advice to support empirical

treatment with neuraminidase inhibitors and diagnostic testing, and advise on the

use of baloxavir marboxil.

• Laboratory specimen referral guidance has been updated for 2025 to 2026; in-

season influenza referral practices now apply

• Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures such as wearing of masks,

ventilation, hand hygiene, and prompt clinical isolation/cohorting should be used in

healthcare settings as appropriate.

CEM_CMO_2025_002-Briefing_Note.pdf
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England
Hospitals facing unprecedented flu season, say NHS bosses
7 hours ago

Excerpt:

Prof Redhead said: "Today's numbers confirm our deepest concerns - the health service is bracing for an unprecedented flu wave this winter. Cases are incredibly high for this time of year and there is no peak in sight yet."

He said staff could be stretched "close to breaking point" in the coming weeks.

Already close to 2% of beds are occupied by flu patients, with the 1,700 average last week the highest at this point of winter since records began in 2010.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c74xqn2zg1eo
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