Syndromic surveillance summary: 2 February 2023 week 4
Updated 4 January 2024
© Crown copyright 2024
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/syndromic-surveillance-weekly-summaries-for-2023/syndromic-surveillance-summary-2-february-2023-week-4
Reporting week 4: 23 January to 29 January 2023
During week 4, emergency department (ED) attendances and GP consultation rates for influenza-like illness stabilised. There were, however, increases observed in acute respiratory infection indicators in children aged 15 years and under. GP consultation rates for scarlet fever remained stable during week 4 while there were small increases in ED attendances in children aged 1 to 4 years. Activity remains above seasonally expected levels.
Remote health advice syndromic surveillance system
During week 4, there were increases observed in NHS 111 calls for several respiratory indicators including cold or flu, cough, difficulty breathing and ‘potential coronavirus (COVID-19)’. Across these indicators increases continued in children aged under 15 years, with some small increases also noted in adults aged 15 to 44 years.
Access the remote health advice syndromic surveillance bulletins on GOV.UK
GP in-hours syndromic surveillance system
During week 4, GP in-hours consultation rates for influenza-like illness stabilised with activity currently below seasonally expected levels. Other respiratory indicators were stable, however, there were increases observed in children aged under 15 years for upper and lower respiratory tract infections and asthma. Scarlet fever consultations remained stable during week 4 but remain above seasonally expected levels.
Access the GP in-hours syndromic surveillance bulletins on GOV.UK
GP out-of-hours syndromic surveillance system
Daily GP out-of-hours contact data from 4 August 2022 onwards has not been received due to a widely publicised disruption faced by one of the GP out-of-hours clinical software system providers. We have since been informed that this disruption was as a result of a cybersecurity incident caused by ransomware. We are working closely with our data provider to restore the daily syndromic feed.
Access the GP out-of-hours syndromic surveillance bulletins on GOV.UK
Emergency department syndromic surveillance system
During week 4, ED attendances for influenza-like illness stabilised, although they remain just above seasonally expected levels. Attendances for acute respiratory infections increased in children aged under 15 years, while acute bronchiolitis or bronchitis attendances increased in children aged under 5 years. ED attendances for scarlet fever have increased very slightly in the 1 to 4 years age group over the last few weeks. Overall, scarlet fever attendances remain above expected levels (compared to the same period in 2022).
Access the emergency department syndromic surveillance bulletins on GOV.UK
Ambulance syndromic surveillance system
During week 4, there were small increases in difficulty breathing and ‘cardiac and respiratory arrest’ ambulance calls.
Access the ambulance syndromic surveillance bulletins on GOV.UK