Weekly Influenza and Acute Respiratory Infection Report

	Current level of activity	Trend	News
Influenza	Circulating, medium levels	Increasing	Evidence from surveillance suggests that influenza is now circulating in the community in Wales. Current activity levels are at medium levels.
RSV	Circulating, very high intensity levels	Stable	Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) confirmed case incidence in children <5y of age suggests that the RSV season is underway. Currently activity is at very high intensity levels.
COVID-19	Low levels	Decreasing	COVID-19 case numbers remain stable

* Comparative thresholds for COVID-19 intensity are not yet available

For the latest annual influenza and acute respiratory infections in Wales reports see: Annual influenza surveillance and influenza vaccination uptake reports

Weekly Integrated respiratory infection report

As of 2024 Week 40, the Public Health Wales Weekly Integrated respiratory infection report replaces previously separate outputs on COVID-19 surveillance and influenza surveillance. The current week's report is available here:

Public: Weekly acute respiratory infection summary: Week 50 2025

Internal NHS users: Weekly acute respiratory infection summary: Week 50 2025

Latest vaccination coverage data: Public Health Wales Influenza Vaccination Coverage Downloadable Data

Key points

In Wales:

Flu activity surveillance update

The GP consultation rate for influenza in Wales during week 50, 2025 reported through the GP Sentinel Surveillance of Infections Scheme was 26.8 consultations per 100,000 practice population.
The rate increased compared to week 49 2025 (20.8 consultations per 100,000).

Virological surveillance update

A total of 287 surveillance samples were collected from patients presenting with ILI symptoms by sentinel GP's and community pharmacies during Week 50. Among these, the following pathogens were identified: 79 cases of influenza A, 35 cases of rhinovirus, 14 cases of RSV, 14 cases of parainfluenza, nine cases of human metapneumovirus, six cases of seasonal coronaviruses, five cases of enterovirus, three cases of adenovirus, three cases of SARS-CoV-2, three cases of C.pneumoniae and one case of mycoplasma. Data are current as at 17/12/2025.
During week 50, 1,473 hospital and non-sentinel GP patient samples underwent full respiratory screen multiplex testing by Public Health Wales Microbiology, of which, 275 were positive for influenza. A number of other causes of acute respiratory infection were identified (see full report). These tests are usually prioritised for symptomatic patients in hospitals, or less commonly community settings.
Confirmed RSV case incidence in children aged under 5 decreased in week 50 but remains at very high intensity levels.

Hospitalisations in confirmed cases of influenza and RSV

The 7-day rolling sums of cases hospitalised within 28 days of a positive test for SARS-CoV-2, influenza and RSV positive test result in the community (or up to two days post-admission) were 22, 152 and 123 respectively for during week 50.
For further information see the Public Health Wales Dashboard on hospital admissions in ARI cases

In the UK and Europe

GP ILI consultations increased to 18.3 per 100,000 in England, 43.5 per 100,000 in Northern Ireland, and 27.3 per 100,000 in Scotland in Week 49. UKHSA Influenza and COVID-19 Surveillance Report.
The WHO and the European Respiratory Virus Surveillance Summary (ERVISS) reported that influenza positivity is above the 10% positivity epidemic threshold.
For more information on European level influenza surveillance see European Respiratory Virus Surveillance Summary (ERVISS)

World Overview

Globally, influenza activity continued to increase with influenza A viruses predominant among influenza detections in all zones.
In the northern hemisphere, influenza percent positivity was elevated in countries in Central America and the Caribbean, Tropical South America, Africa, Northern and South-West Europe, and Southern, South-East and Western Asia, with positivity over 30% in countries in Central America and the Caribbean, Tropical South America, Western Africa, Northern and South West Europe and Eastern, Southern, South-East and Western Asia. Increases in activity were observed in countries in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, Western Africa, Eastern, Northern and South West Europe, and Asia.
In the southern hemisphere, influenza activity remained low overall although elevated positivity (>10%) was reported in a few countries in Tropical and Temperate South America, Eastern Africa and Oceania; percent positivity was over 30% in single countries in Eastern Africa and South-East Asia. Small increases in activity were observed in Eastern Africa and Oceania.
In the zones with elevated positivity, influenza A(H3N2) was predominant in all zones except Central America and the Caribbean and Northern Africa where there was codominance of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2). See full WHO influenza update

COVID-19

Latest COVID-19 data from Public Health Wales
Latest UK data is available from: UK GOV: Coronavirus Data
WHO situation updates on COVID-19 are available from: WHO situation updates are available here

MERS-CoV and H7N9 Updates

The WHO has published an updated assessment of recent influenza A(H5N1) virus events in animals and people. Currently, the global public health risk of influenza A(H5N1) viruses to be low, while the risk of infection for occupationally exposed persons is low to moderate, depending on the risk mitigation measures in place. Transmission between animals continues to occur and, to date, a limited number of human infections have been reported.
Updates are available from WHO Global Alert and Response
Latest WHO Influenza Monthly Risk Assessment Summary
Public Health Wales has published advice to health professionals which is available at MERS-CoV and Influenza H7N9 infection control preparedness