Weekly Influenza and Acute Respiratory Infection Report

	Current level of activity	Trend	News
Influenza	Baseline levels	Decreasing	Influenza circulation has returned to baseline levels. GP consultations for influenza-like illness and confirmed case numbers have decreased in the current week, as has test positivity.
RSV	Baseline	Stable	Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) has returned to baseline levels
COVID-19	*	Stable	Broadly stable and at lower levels than previously.

* 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

Please note, the weekly report is now on a fortnightly reporting schedule until September.

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 26 2025

Internal NHS users: Weekly acute respiratory infection summary: Week 26 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 26, 2025 reported through the GP Sentinel Surveillance of Infections Scheme was 0.3 consultations per 100,000 practice population.
The rate decreased compared to week 25, 2025 (0.9 consultations per 100,000).

Virological surveillance update

A total of 121 surveillance samples were collected from patients presenting with ILI symptoms by sentinel GPs and community pharmacies during Week 25. Among these, the following pathogens were identified: 30 cases of rhinovirus, six cases of parainfluenza, six cases or SARS-CoV-2, three cases of enterovirus, three cases of c.pneumonia, two cases of human metapneumovirus, one case of influenza A, and one case of mycoplasma pneumoniae. Data are current as of 02/07/2025.
During week 26, 730 hospital and non-sentinel GP patient samples underwent full respiratory screen multiplex testing by Public Health Wales Microbiology, of which, one was 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 remains at baseline intensity levels.

Hospitalisations in confirmed cases of influenza and RSV

The 7-day rolling sums of cases hospitalised within 28 days of an influenza, RSV or SARS-CoV-2 positive test result in the community (or up to two days post-admission) were four, one and 28 respectively for during week 24.
For further information see the Public Health Wales Dashboard on hospital admissions in ARI cases

In the UK and Europe

As of Week 24, GP ILI consultations increased to 1.7 per 100,000 in England (latest data available) increased to 3.5 per 100,000 in Northern Ireland in week 24, and decreased to 2.1 per 100,000 in Scotland in week 24. UKHSA Influenza and COVID-19 Surveillance Report.
The WHO and the European Respiratory Virus Surveillance Summary (ERVISS) reported that influenza positivity is below the 10% positivity epidemic threshold.
For more information on European level influenza surveillance see European Respiratory Virus Surveillance Summary (ERVISS)

World Overview

In the Northern hemisphere, influenza activity continued to decline or remained stable in most countries with increases reported in a few countries in Central America and the Caribbean. Elevated influenza positivity persisted in Central America and the Caribbean (predominantly A(H1N1)pdm09), Tropical South America, Western Africa (predominantly A(H1N1)pdm09), Western and Southern Asia (predominantly A(H3N2) and B viruses), and South-East Asia (predominantly A(H3N2)).
In the Southern hemisphere, influenza activity remained stable in most countries with increases reported in single countries in Temperate South America and Oceania. Elevated influenza positivity (>10%) was observed in Tropical and Temperate South America (predominantly A(H1N1)pdm09), Southern Africa (predominantly A(H3N2)), Eastern Africa (predominantly A(H1N1)pdm09), South-East Asia (predominantly A(H3N2)), and Oceania (predominantly A(H1N1)pdm09), with positivity exceeding 30% in several countries. 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