UKHSA weekly winter surveillance bulletin
Weekly UKHSA report for the 2025/26 season, monitoring respiratory viruses as people are encouraged to take simple steps to protect themselves.
This weekly bulletin brings together the latest surveillance data, along with the latest public health advice for flu, COVID-19, RSV and other viruses.
Latest
As flu activity continues to increase, the UK Health Security Agency is urging all eligible groups to come forward for their free flu vaccination ahead of the winter months. The latest surveillance report, published today, shows that we are experiencing an early start to the flu season, with a sharp increase in activity among children, as well as increases among other age groups in the wider community.
UKHSA is advising everyone aged 65 and over, pregnant women, or those with certain long-term health conditions to book their flu vaccination appointment as soon as possible. Parents are reminded to sign and return consent forms to schools, or to book an appointment for 2 to 3-year-olds, to ensure their child gets vaccinated against flu.
This weekly bulletin brings together the latest surveillance data, along with the latest public health advice for flu, COVID-19, RSV and other viruses.
In week 43:
- Influenza activity increased, with a sharp increase among children and increases in other groups, and is now above baseline
- COVID-19 activity decreased and is now circulating at baseline levels
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) showed mixed activity across some indicators but still circulating at baseline levels
The flu, COVID-19 and RSV surveillance report has been published
The Norovirus surveillance report has been published.
Flu surveillance data for week 43:
- flu activity increased, particularly among children, and is now above baseline
- flu positivity increased with a weekly mean positivity rate of 8.2%, compared to 6.1% in the previous week
- in those aged 5 to 14 positivity rate was 30.8% compared to 20.0% last week (based on a percentage of people who test positive in hospital)
- overall, flu hospitalisations increased from 1.74 per 100,000 to 2.19 per 100,000, with a total of 247 new hospitalisations this week
- the weekly influenza-like illnesses (ILI) General Practice (GP) consultation rate increased to slightly to 6 per 100,000 compared with 5.6 per 100,000 in the previous week
COVID-19 surveillance data for week 43:
- COVID-19 activity decreased and is now circulating at baseline levels
- COVID-19 positivity in hospital settings decreased with a weekly mean positivity rate of 8% compared with 10% in the previous week
- COVID-19 hospitalisations decreased to 2.52 per 100,000 compared to 3.37 per 100,000 in the previous week
- COVID-19 ICU admissions remained low at 0.08 per 100,000 compared with 0.09 per 100,000 in the previous week
- there were 30 COVID-19 acute respiratory incidents reported in total, with 23 incidents in care homes, 4 incidents in hospitals, 2 in educational settings and 1 in other settings
- those aged 85 years and over had the highest hospital admission rate, which decreased to 27.78 per 100,000 compared with 32.99 per 100,000 in the previous week
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) surveillance data for week 43:
- RSV showed mixed activity across indicators and was circulating at baseline levels
- Emergency department attendances for acute bronchiolitis remained stable
- the overall weekly hospital admission rate for RSV was decreasing at 0.26 per 100,000 compared with 0.44 per 100,000 in the previous week
Dr Alex Allen, Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said:
We’re seeing an unusually early start to the flu season this year, with the latest data showing a sharp increase among children but also increases in other age groups, with the virus now starting to spread more widely in the community.
If you’re eligible for a vaccine it is because you are at greater risk of severe illness – every year we see many thousands end up in hospital and far too many deaths from flu. It’s crucial that everyone eligible books their appointment as soon as possible. The vaccine is our best defence.
Parents should return school consent forms or arrange GP appointments for 2 to 3 year olds. The nasal spray vaccine can help stop your child from getting very unwell and reduce the risk of passing flu to vulnerable family members.
Anyone with flu or COVID-19 symptoms, including high temperature, cough, and feeling tired or achy, should minimise contact with others, especially those who are vulnerable. If you need to go out with symptoms, consider wearing a face covering, wash hands regularly and ensure indoor spaces are well ventilated.
Norovirus surveillance data between weeks 42 to 43
Norovirus activity has started to increase in recent weeks though it remains within expected levels.
Overall, norovirus laboratory reports between weeks 42 and 43 (13 October to 26 October) were 5.6% higher than the 5-season average for the same 2-week period and cases between these weeks were 14.4% higher than during the previous 2-week period of weeks 40 to 41 of 2025.
The rate remained highest among children aged 0 to 4 years.
Rotavirus laboratory reports between weeks 42 and 43 of 2025 were comparable to the 5-season average for the same 2-week period.
The number of norovirus outbreaks reported to the Hospital Norovirus Outbreak Reporting System (HNORS) since the start of the 2025/2026 season is 69.6% lower than the 5-season average.
During the 2025/2026 season to date, the majority (84.9%) of samples characterised were norovirus genogroup 2 (GII), of which the most frequent genotype identified were GII.4 (26.0%) and GII.17 (25.2%).
Norovirus symptoms include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea but can also include a high temperature, abdominal pain and aching limbs. Norovirus infections can cause dehydration, especially in vulnerable groups such as young children and older or immunocompromised people, so if you do get ill it is important to drink plenty of fluids during that time.
Amy Douglas, Lead Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said:
While norovirus remains within expected levels, we’re seeing an increase in cases so please remember the simple steps we can all take to stop norovirus spreading.
At the moment the highest rate of cases is in children so if your child has any symptoms, please keep them off school or nursery until 48 hours after their symptoms stop.
If you’re unwell, don’t go to work or prepare food for others until 48 hours after your symptoms end and avoid visiting hospitals and care homes to prevent spreading the infection to vulnerable people.
Washing your hands with soap and warm water and using bleach-based products to clean surfaces will also help stop infections from spreading. Alcohol gels do not kill norovirus so don’t rely on these alone.
Previous
Thursday 16 October 2025
The latest surveillance data published today by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows that flu activity is continuing to increase amongst school-aged children, as data also suggests we are seeing signs of a possible earlier flu season.
UKHSA is urging all eligible groups, including everyone over 65, pregnant, or in a clinical risk group, to book their flu vaccination appointment to ensure they are protected heading into winter.
Parents are reminded to sign and return consent forms to schools, or to book an appointment for 2 to 3-year-olds, to ensure their child gets vaccinated against flu. The flu vaccine is offered to children aged 2 to 3 years, school-age children (reception to year 11) and children with certain long-term health conditions (2 and 3 year olds are eligible based on their age on 31 August 2025).
This weekly bulletin brings together the latest surveillance data, along with the latest public health advice for flu, COVID-19, RSV and other viruses.
In week 42:
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Influenza activity increased, particularly among children, and is now above baseline in some indicators
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COVID-19 showed decreasing activity, circulating at low levels
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Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) showed increasing activity across some indicators but is still circulating at baseline levels
The flu, COVID-19 and RSV surveillance report has been published
The Norovirus surveillance report has been published.
Flu surveillance data for week 42:
- Influenza activity increased, particularly among children, and is now above baseline in some indicators
- Flu positivity increased with a weekly mean positivity rate of 6.1%, compared to 5% in the previous week - this is based on a percentage of people who test positive in hospital * overall, flu hospitalisations increased from 1.29 per 100,000 to 1.73 per 100,000
- weekly influenza-like illnesses (ILI) General Practice (GP) consultation rate increased to 5.6 per 100,000 compared with 5.4 per 100,000 in the previous week
COVID-19 surveillance data for week 42:
- COVID-19 showed decreasing activity, circulating at low levels
- COVID-19 positivity in hospital settings decreased with a weekly mean positivity rate of 10.3% compared with 11.9% in the previous week
- COVID-19 hospitalisations decreased to 3.43 per 100,000 compared to 4.22 per 100,000 in the previous week
- COVID-19 ICU admissions remained low at 0.10 per 100,000 compared with 0.10 per 100,000 in the previous week
- there were 37 COVID-19 acute respiratory incidents reported in total, with 32 incidents in care homes and 5 incidents in hospitals
- those aged 85 years and over had the highest hospital admission rate, which decreased to 33.24 per 100,000 from 46.99 per 100,000 in the previous week
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) surveillance data for week 42:
- RSV showed increasing activity across some indicators and was circulating at baseline levels
- emergency department attendances for acute bronchiolitis remained stable
- the overall weekly hospital admission rate for RSV increased to 0.46 per 100,000 compared with 0.15 per 100,000 in the previous week
Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said:
We continue to see a rise in flu activity this week, with positive tests among children still increasing. That is why it’s important that parents return consent forms so that children can get the nasal spray vaccine when it is offered in schools. If your child has missed the vaccine at school, get in touch with your local school Imms team to find how you can get a vaccine. Those children in high-risk groups can also go through their GP. And all those in other eligible groups who are more vulnerable take up the free flu vaccine as soon as possible.
It is likely that flu circulation will spread into other groups of the population over the coming weeks, therefore it is important that all eligible groups get vaccinated. The vaccine remains our best defence against severe illness and hospitalisation from flu and is offered to everyone aged over 65, pregnant, or in a clinical risk group as well as school-aged children and two and three-year-olds.
It’s also important to remember the simple steps that we can all take to protect against respiratory illnesses. Anyone experiencing flu or COVID-19 symptoms, including high temperature, cough and feeling tired or achy, should try to minimise contact with others, particularly with those who may be vulnerable. If you have symptoms and need to leave the house, our advice remains that you should consider wearing a face covering. Washing hands regularly and using and disposing tissues in bins can reduce the spread of these illnesses, as can ensuring that indoor areas are well ventilated.
Norovirus surveillance data between weeks 41 to 42:
Norovirus activity has remained low and within expected levels during this two-week period between 6 October 2025 and 19 October 2025 (weeks 41 and 42). However, cases have started to increase in recent weeks.
Overall, norovirus laboratory reports between weeks 41 and 42 were comparable to the 5-season average for the same 2-week period and cases between these weeks were 24.6% higher than during the previous 2-week period of weeks 39 to 40 of 2025.
The rate remained low across all regions and age groups but was highest among children aged 0 to 4 years.
Rotavirus reporting between weeks 41 and 42 of 2025 was 7.3% higher than the 5-season average for the same 2-week period.
The number of norovirus outbreaks reported to the Hospital Norovirus Outbreak Reporting System (HNORS) since the start of the 2025/2026 season is 70.6% lower than the 5-season average.
During the 2025/2026 season to date, the majority (84.0%) of samples characterised were norovirus genogroup 2 (GII), of which the most frequent genotype identified was GII.4 (26.0%). These figures have not changed since the previous report as no additional molecular surveillance data is available.
Norovirus symptoms include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea but can also include a high temperature, abdominal pain and aching limbs. Norovirus infections can cause dehydration, especially in vulnerable groups such as young children and older or immunocompromised people, so if you do get ill it is important to drink plenty of fluids during that time.
Amy Douglas, Lead Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said:
While norovirus activity remains low and within expected levels, we are starting to see an increase in cases. As we approach the colder months, it’s important to remember the simple steps we can all take to prevent norovirus spreading.
If you have diarrhoea and vomiting, don’t return to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped and don’t prepare food for others in that time either. If you are unwell, avoid visiting people in hospitals and care homes to prevent passing on the infection in these settings.
Washing your hands with soap and warm water and using bleach-based products to clean surfaces will also help stop infections from spreading. Alcohol gels do not kill norovirus so don’t rely on these alone.
Previous
Thursday 16 October 2025
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is urging all eligible groups to come forward for their free flu vaccination now. This is because the latest data published today suggests that flu is increasing early this year and hospitalisations starting to rise.
Current flu levels are still within the typical seasonal range and similar to what was seen in 2022 to 2023 when there was a relatively early flu season following the COVID-19 pandemic. Latest data suggests that cases amongst younger adults and school-age children are driving the early flu signal.
UKHSA is advising everyone over 65, pregnant, or in a clinical risk group to book their flu vaccination appointment.
Parents are reminded to sign and return consent forms to schools, or to book an appointment for children aged 2 to 3 years, to ensure their child gets vaccinated against flu.
This weekly bulletin brings together the latest surveillance data, along with the latest public health advice for flu, COVID-19, RSV and other viruses.
In week 41:
- influenza activity showed increasing activity across indicators, particularly in children, but still at baseline levels
- COVID-19 activity showed slightly decreasing activity, and circulating at medium levels
- respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) showed increasing activity across some indicators but still circulating at baseline levels
The flu, COVID-19 and RSV surveillance report is published weekly.
Flu surveillance data for week 41
In week 41:
- flu showed increasing activity across indicators, particularly in children, and was at baseline levels
- flu positivity increased with a weekly mean positivity rate of 5.0%, compared to 3.3% in the previous week – this is based on a percentage of people who test positive in hospital.
Overall, flu hospitalisations increased from 0.73 per 100,000 to 1.27 per 100,000.
The weekly influenza-like illnesses (ILI) General Practice (GP) consultation rate increased to 5.4 per 100,000 compared with 4.2 per 100,000 in the previous week.
COVID-19 surveillance data for week 41
In week 41:
- COVID-19 showed slightly decreasing activity, circulating at medium levels
- COVID-19 positivity in hospital settings decreased slightly with a weekly mean positivity rate of 12% compared with 13.1% in the previous week
- COVID-19 hospitalisations slightly decreased to 4.09 per 100,000 compared to 4.50 per 100,000 in the previous week
- COVID-19 ICU admissions decreased to 0.09 per 100,000 compared with 0.14 per 100,000 in the previous week
There were 69 COVID-19 acute respiratory incidents reported in total, with:
- 57 incidents in care homes
- 9 incidents in hospitals
- 1 in educational settings
- 2 in other settings
Those aged 85 years and over had the highest hospital admission rate, which remained stable at 46.23 per 100,000 compared with 47.29 per 100,000 in the previous week.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) surveillance data for week 41:
In week 41:
- RSV showed increasing activity across some indicators and was circulating at baseline levels
- emergency department attendances for acute bronchiolitis remained stable
The overall weekly hospital admission rate for RSV increased 0.18 per 100,000 compared with 0.14 per 100,000 in the previous week.
In children aged under 5 years, the hospitalisation rate for RSV increased to 2.68 per 100,000 (compared with 1.62 per 100,000 in the previous week).
Dr Conall Watson, Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said:
This week’s data is showing a rise in positive tests for flu, particularly in children and younger adults, as well as an increase in GP and A&E attendances. It is relatively early in the autumn to be seeing these increases and we will be monitoring this closely in the coming weeks.
It’s absolutely crucial that everyone eligible for a flu vaccine books their appointment – it could make all the difference in avoiding severe illness and hospitalisation.
Parents should complete school flu consent forms or arrange an appointment for eligible preschoolers at the GP – the vaccine is usually given as a simple nasal spray and could stop your child getting very unwell, as well as making them less likely to pass on flu to those around them, including grandparents and those with long term health conditions. They can usually have the flu vaccine even if they have a cold, which is very common at this time of the year.
It’s also important to remember the simple steps that we can all take to protect against respiratory illnesses. Anyone experiencing flu or COVID-19 symptoms, including high temperature, cough and feeling tired or achy, should try to minimise contact with others, particularly with those who may be vulnerable. If you have symptoms and need to leave the house, our advice remains that you should consider wearing a face covering. Washing hands regularly and using and disposing tissues in bins can reduce the spread of these illnesses, as can ensuring that indoor areas are well ventilated.
Health Minister Karin Smyth said:
Vaccines save lives and are a vital way to protect children when they need it most - especially as we head into a winter that will see the NHS under strain from flu.
It is easier than ever to book your flu vaccination with appointments available at GP surgeries, pharmacies and community centres across the country.
This government is working hard to brace our health service ahead of winter, and so I urge parents who are yet to vaccinate their children to come forward to protect them and our NHS.
Norovirus surveillance data between weeks 40 to 41:
Between weeks 40 to 41:
- norovirus activity has remained low and was within expected levels during the 2-week period between 29 September and 12 October – however, norovirus activity has increased from the previous 2-week period
- overall, norovirus laboratory reports between weeks 40 and 41 were 7.0% lower than the 5-season average for the same 2-week period
- the rate remained low across all regions and age groups but was highest among children aged 0 to 4 years
- rotavirus reporting between weeks 40 and 41 of 2025 was 17.0% lower than the 5-season average for the same 2-week period
- the number of norovirus outbreaks reported to the Hospital Norovirus Outbreak Reporting System (HNORS) since the start of the 2025/2026 season is 73.1% lower than the 5-season average
- during the 2025/2026 season to date, the majority (84.0%) of samples characterised were norovirus genogroup 2 (GII), of which the most frequent genotype identified was GII.4 (26.0%)
Norovirus symptoms include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea but can also include a high temperature, abdominal pain and aching limbs.
Norovirus infections can cause dehydration, especially in vulnerable groups such as young children and older or immunocompromised people, so if you do get ill it is important to drink plenty of fluids during that time
Hannah Charles, Consultant Epidemiologist, at UKHSA, said:
While norovirus activity remains low and within expected levels, we have seen a slight increase in cases in recent weeks. As we approach the colder months, it’s important to remember the simple steps we can all take to prevent norovirus spreading.
If you have diarrhoea and vomiting, don’t return to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped and don’t prepare food for others in that time either. If you are unwell, avoid visiting people in hospitals and care homes to prevent passing on the infection in these settings.
Washing your hands with soap and warm water and using bleach-based products to clean surfaces will also help stop infections from spreading. Alcohol gels do not kill norovirus so don’t rely on these alone.
Thursday 9 October 2025
In week 40:
- influenza activity showed increasing activity across indicators, particularly in young adults, and was at baseline levels
- COVID-19 activity showed increasing activity, circulating at medium levels
- respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) showed mixed activity across indicators and was circulating at baseline levels
The flu, COVID-19 and RSV surveillance report is published weekly.
Flu surveillance data for week 40:
- flu activity showed increasing activity across indicators, particularly in young adults, and was at baseline levels
- flu positivity increased with a weekly mean positivity rate of 3.3%, compared to 1.9% in the previous week - this is based on a percentage of people who test positive in hospital among those with symptoms tested
- overall, flu hospitalisations were at baseline levels, at 0.67 per 100,000. This surveillance formally starts in week 40 so comparisons to the previous week are not possible
- in week 40, the weekly influenza-like illnesses (ILI) General Practice (GP) consultation rate increased to 4.2 per 100,000 compared with 3.3 per 100,000 in the previous week
COVID-19 surveillance data for week 40:
- COVID-19 activity showed increasing activity, circulating at medium levels
- COVID-19 positivity in hospital settings increased with a weekly mean positivity rate of 12.9% compared with 11.7% in the previous week
- COVID-19 hospitalisations increased to 4.65 per 100,000 compared to 3.41 per 100,000 in the previous week
- COVID-19 ICU admissions increased to 0.14 per 100,000 compared with 0.10 per 100,000 in the previous week
- there were 78 COVID-19 acute respiratory incidents reported in week 40 in total, with 70 incidents in care homes, 4 incidents in hospitals, 2 in educational settings and 2 in other settings
- those aged 85 years and over had the highest hospital admission rate, which increased to 48.56 per 100,000 compared with 34.17 per 100,000 in the previous week
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) surveillance data for week 40:
- respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) showed mixed activity across indicators and was circulating at baseline levels
- emergency department attendances for acute bronchiolitis remained stable
- the overall weekly hospital admission rate for RSV was stable at 0.14 per 100,000 compared with 0.14 per 100,000 in the previous week.
Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said:
The first weekly surveillance report of the 2025/26 season shows that both flu and COVID-19 positivity continue to increase, so everyone eligible for vaccination should take it up now to ensure optimal protection. The NHS national booking system has opened for all eligible groups to book their flu and COVID-19 vaccination appointments.
Remember that there are simple steps everyone can take to protect themselves and others. Anyone experiencing flu or COVID-19 symptoms, including high temperature, cough and feeling tired or achy, should try to minimise contact with others, particularly with those who may be vulnerable. If you have symptoms and need to leave the house, our advice remains that you should consider wearing a face covering. Washing hands regularly and using and disposing tissues in bins can reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses, as can ensuring that indoor areas are well ventilated.
Norovirus surveillance data between weeks 39 to 40:
- norovirus activity has remained low and was within expected levels during this two-week period between 22 September and 5 October
- overall, norovirus laboratory reports between 22 September and 5 October were 20.6% lower than the 5-season average for the same 2-week period
- the rate remained low across all regions and age groups but was highest among children aged 0 to 4 years
- rotavirus reporting between weeks 39 and 40 of 2025 was 36.6% lower than the 5-season average for the same 2-week period
- the number of norovirus outbreaks reported to the Hospital Norovirus Outbreak Reporting System (HNORS) since the start of the 2025/2026 season is 69.6% lower than the 5-season average
- during the 2025/2026 season to date, the majority (84.4%) of samples characterised were norovirus genogroup 2 (GII), of which the most frequent genotypes identified were GII.4 (26.4%) and GII.17 (26.4%)
- norovirus symptoms include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea but can also include a high temperature, abdominal pain and aching limbs (norovirus infections can cause dehydration, especially in vulnerable groups such as young children and older or immunocompromised people, so if you do get ill it is important to drink plenty of fluids during that time)
Amy Douglas, Lead Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said:
Norovirus activity has remained low and within expected levels in recent weeks, but it’s important to remember the simple steps we can take to prevent the spread of norovirus as we approach the colder months.
If you have diarrhoea and vomiting, do not return to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped and do not prepare food for others in that time either. If you are unwell, avoid visiting people in hospitals and care homes to prevent passing on the infection in these settings.
Washing your hands with soap and warm water and using bleach-based products to clean surfaces will also help stop infections from spreading. Alcohol gels do not kill norovirus so do not rely on these alone.
Updates to this page
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Updated the content
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Added more info
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Added health minister quote.
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Updated to include latest surveillance data.
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First published.