Flutracking Weekly Interim Report
Week #7 - ending 17 June 2012
Low level influenza-like illness activity detected
This survey was sent on Monday 18 June 9:44 AM and by Thursday 21 June 9:00 AM we had received 12624 responses (12130 last week) from 8289 people responding for themselves and 4335 household members across Australia.
Across Australia, fever and cough was reported by 3.0% of vaccinated participants and 3.8% of unvaccinated participants. Fever, cough and absence from normal duties was reported by 1.7% of vaccinated participants and 2.3% of unvaccinated participants.
For participants this week, 6562/12624 (52.0%) have received the seasonal vaccine so far. Of the 2596 participants who identified as working face-to-face with patients, 1860 (71.6%) have received the vaccine.
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Influenza Surveillance Reports
Surveillance of Influenza activity in Australia & New Zealand
This report provides a summary of surveillance data collected from around Australia and New Zealand. Regional reporting in some areas ceases when flu activity is low (out of season).
Australia
New South Wales
Week ending 8 June 2012
The total number of patients presenting to EDs with influenza-like illness (ILI) increased further this week (rate of 2.0 cases per 1000 presentations) and was above the usual range for this time of year.
1233 tests for respiratory viruses were performed at sentinel NSW laboratories. 196 specimens tested positive for influenza A. Of these, 104 tested positive for influenza A(H3N2). The remainder tested negative to influenza A(pH1N1) and are assumed to have been A(H3N2).
11 cases of influenza B were reported. The proportion of respiratory samples that tested positive for influenza increased compared to the previous week and remained markedly higher than the average for this time of year.
Fewer specimens tested positive for Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) this week and is now below the usual range seen for this time of year
An 74 year old with confirmed influenza A(H3) died At least four confirmed cases with influenza were admitted to intensive care units (ICU). The rate of deaths due to pneumonia or influenza remained below the seasonal threshold.
For more information: NSW Health - Infectious Diseases Alert
Queensland
Year to date 6 May 2012
Year to date (YTD) there have been 580 notifications of influenza in Queensland.
For more information: QLD Health - Preventable Diseases
South Australia
Week ending 2 June 2012
Seventy cases of influenza were reported this week, a marked increase from 26 cases reported in the previous week. Cases included 32 males and 38 females with an age range of 1 to 89 years.
Fifty-seven infections were due to Influenza A virus and 12 infections were due to Influenza B virus. There was one case identified as the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 strain in the current week. Year-to-date, 348 cases of influenza have been notified compared to 434 cases for the same period last year.
For more information: Communicable Diseases Control Branch
Tasmania
Review of 2011 Flu Season
Surveillance of influenza-like illness activity via FluTracking has now ceased for the year. Doctors are testing less for influenza; influenza diagnoses and notifications are now uncommon.
In 2011:
A total of 359 notifications of influenza were received from 1 January to 30 November. Influenza notifications peaked in weeks 30 to 34 (25 July–28 August) at approximately 26 notifications received per week.
Influenza A was responsible for 52 per cent of the total notifications (133 by PCR and 51 by serology). Of the PCR-based detections, 97 were sub-typed with:
78 per cent H1N1.
22 per cent H3N2.
Influenza B was responsible for 48 per cent of the notifications (156 by PCR and 16 by serology). An outbreak of Influenza B was notified from a northern residential-care facility in August.
An outbreak of Influenza A (not further typed) was notified from a southern residential-care facility in August.
There were significant differences in the strains of influenza virus causing disease in Tasmania as the season evolved.
During the early part of the 2011 season (mid-April to late-June) the predominant influenza strain was H1N1 (A). Notifications of Influenza B began to increase in early June, and predominated during the peak of the 2011 season (early-July to late-September), and notifications of H1N1 (A) also continued. As the 2011 season concluded, (early-October to early-November) notifications of both H1N1 (A) and Influenza B declined. A small number of H3N2 (A) notifications were received throughout the season.
For more information: DHHS Communicable Diseases - FluTas
Victoria
Week ending 10 June 2012
Influenza-like illness (ILI) activity was slightly higher than reported for the previous period, with a presentation rate of 5.3 cases per 1000 patients seen, just above baseline levels of activity.
From the 100 swabs received from surveillance GPs this season (30/4/12 – 10/6/12) 18 (18%) have been positive for influenza, of which 2 were A(H1N1)pdm09, 11 were H3N2, 3 were untyped and 2 were influenza B.
This week we received 12 surveillance swabs of which 3 (25%) were positive for influenza, all of which were influenza A (untyped).
The majority of viruses detected through routine testing this week were picornavirus and RSV, with 1 influenza A (untyped) and 1 influenza B detected. Of the 21 influenza viruses detected so far this year 5 have been A(H1N1)pdm09, 9 have been H3, 3 have been untyped and 4 influenza B.
For more information: Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory
Western Australia
Week ending 10 June 2012.
ILI presentations to SPN(WA) GPs have increased steadily over recent weeks and remain higher than at the same time in the past two years. Presentations to Perth EDs also continue to increase, but the proportion of cases requiring admission decreased this week.
Influenza positive samples comprised 53% (19) influenza AH3N2 virus and 47% (17) influenza B virus, with no AH1N1 pandemic strain detections.
For more information: WA Virus Watch
Nationally
Dept of Health & Ageing
For the period to 18 June 2012
There have been a total of 3774 laboratory confirmed notifications of Influenza in Australia in 2012 to 18 June.
The majority of notifications have been in QLD with 1211, NSW 810, and WA 563. Victoria has had 462, SA 548, NT 117, ACT 42 and Tasmania 21.
For national data: National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System
Australian Sentinel Practices Research Network (ASPREN)
ASPREN is a national syndromic surveillance program co-ordinated by the Discipline of General Practice at the University of Adelaide and The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. One of the conditions under surveillance is influenza like illness (ILI). General practitioners participating in the ASPREN program contribute data on the proportion of consultations which are ILI related.
For the period 30 April to 13 May 2012
Reports were received from 135 GPs from 8 states and territories over the two week period to the 13th May 2012, based on a total of 23,860 consultations.
Nationally, ILI notifications increased over the period with 49 and 85 notifications in week 19 and 20 respectively.
The age and sex breakdown of ILI cases from 30th April to 13th May 2012 show the most reported cases in working age adults, aged 20—49.
56% of all ILI patients were swab tested during weeks 19—20. Notably, there were 10 cases of Influenza detected during this period, 6 Flu A (untyped), 0 H1N1 (2009), and 4 Flu B. There were 20 cases of Rhinovirus detected making it the most common respiratory viruses circulating the nation at present.
For more information: ASPREN
Week #7 - ending 17 June 2012
Low level influenza-like illness activity detected
This survey was sent on Monday 18 June 9:44 AM and by Thursday 21 June 9:00 AM we had received 12624 responses (12130 last week) from 8289 people responding for themselves and 4335 household members across Australia.
Across Australia, fever and cough was reported by 3.0% of vaccinated participants and 3.8% of unvaccinated participants. Fever, cough and absence from normal duties was reported by 1.7% of vaccinated participants and 2.3% of unvaccinated participants.
For participants this week, 6562/12624 (52.0%) have received the seasonal vaccine so far. Of the 2596 participants who identified as working face-to-face with patients, 1860 (71.6%) have received the vaccine.
...
Influenza Surveillance Reports
Surveillance of Influenza activity in Australia & New Zealand
This report provides a summary of surveillance data collected from around Australia and New Zealand. Regional reporting in some areas ceases when flu activity is low (out of season).
Australia
New South Wales
Week ending 8 June 2012
The total number of patients presenting to EDs with influenza-like illness (ILI) increased further this week (rate of 2.0 cases per 1000 presentations) and was above the usual range for this time of year.
1233 tests for respiratory viruses were performed at sentinel NSW laboratories. 196 specimens tested positive for influenza A. Of these, 104 tested positive for influenza A(H3N2). The remainder tested negative to influenza A(pH1N1) and are assumed to have been A(H3N2).
11 cases of influenza B were reported. The proportion of respiratory samples that tested positive for influenza increased compared to the previous week and remained markedly higher than the average for this time of year.
Fewer specimens tested positive for Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) this week and is now below the usual range seen for this time of year
An 74 year old with confirmed influenza A(H3) died At least four confirmed cases with influenza were admitted to intensive care units (ICU). The rate of deaths due to pneumonia or influenza remained below the seasonal threshold.
For more information: NSW Health - Infectious Diseases Alert
Queensland
Year to date 6 May 2012
Year to date (YTD) there have been 580 notifications of influenza in Queensland.
For more information: QLD Health - Preventable Diseases
South Australia
Week ending 2 June 2012
Seventy cases of influenza were reported this week, a marked increase from 26 cases reported in the previous week. Cases included 32 males and 38 females with an age range of 1 to 89 years.
Fifty-seven infections were due to Influenza A virus and 12 infections were due to Influenza B virus. There was one case identified as the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 strain in the current week. Year-to-date, 348 cases of influenza have been notified compared to 434 cases for the same period last year.
For more information: Communicable Diseases Control Branch
Tasmania
Review of 2011 Flu Season
Surveillance of influenza-like illness activity via FluTracking has now ceased for the year. Doctors are testing less for influenza; influenza diagnoses and notifications are now uncommon.
In 2011:
A total of 359 notifications of influenza were received from 1 January to 30 November. Influenza notifications peaked in weeks 30 to 34 (25 July–28 August) at approximately 26 notifications received per week.
Influenza A was responsible for 52 per cent of the total notifications (133 by PCR and 51 by serology). Of the PCR-based detections, 97 were sub-typed with:
78 per cent H1N1.
22 per cent H3N2.
Influenza B was responsible for 48 per cent of the notifications (156 by PCR and 16 by serology). An outbreak of Influenza B was notified from a northern residential-care facility in August.
An outbreak of Influenza A (not further typed) was notified from a southern residential-care facility in August.
There were significant differences in the strains of influenza virus causing disease in Tasmania as the season evolved.
During the early part of the 2011 season (mid-April to late-June) the predominant influenza strain was H1N1 (A). Notifications of Influenza B began to increase in early June, and predominated during the peak of the 2011 season (early-July to late-September), and notifications of H1N1 (A) also continued. As the 2011 season concluded, (early-October to early-November) notifications of both H1N1 (A) and Influenza B declined. A small number of H3N2 (A) notifications were received throughout the season.
For more information: DHHS Communicable Diseases - FluTas
Victoria
Week ending 10 June 2012
Influenza-like illness (ILI) activity was slightly higher than reported for the previous period, with a presentation rate of 5.3 cases per 1000 patients seen, just above baseline levels of activity.
From the 100 swabs received from surveillance GPs this season (30/4/12 – 10/6/12) 18 (18%) have been positive for influenza, of which 2 were A(H1N1)pdm09, 11 were H3N2, 3 were untyped and 2 were influenza B.
This week we received 12 surveillance swabs of which 3 (25%) were positive for influenza, all of which were influenza A (untyped).
The majority of viruses detected through routine testing this week were picornavirus and RSV, with 1 influenza A (untyped) and 1 influenza B detected. Of the 21 influenza viruses detected so far this year 5 have been A(H1N1)pdm09, 9 have been H3, 3 have been untyped and 4 influenza B.
For more information: Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory
Western Australia
Week ending 10 June 2012.
ILI presentations to SPN(WA) GPs have increased steadily over recent weeks and remain higher than at the same time in the past two years. Presentations to Perth EDs also continue to increase, but the proportion of cases requiring admission decreased this week.
Influenza positive samples comprised 53% (19) influenza AH3N2 virus and 47% (17) influenza B virus, with no AH1N1 pandemic strain detections.
For more information: WA Virus Watch
Nationally
Dept of Health & Ageing
For the period to 18 June 2012
There have been a total of 3774 laboratory confirmed notifications of Influenza in Australia in 2012 to 18 June.
The majority of notifications have been in QLD with 1211, NSW 810, and WA 563. Victoria has had 462, SA 548, NT 117, ACT 42 and Tasmania 21.
For national data: National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System
Australian Sentinel Practices Research Network (ASPREN)
ASPREN is a national syndromic surveillance program co-ordinated by the Discipline of General Practice at the University of Adelaide and The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. One of the conditions under surveillance is influenza like illness (ILI). General practitioners participating in the ASPREN program contribute data on the proportion of consultations which are ILI related.
For the period 30 April to 13 May 2012
Reports were received from 135 GPs from 8 states and territories over the two week period to the 13th May 2012, based on a total of 23,860 consultations.
Nationally, ILI notifications increased over the period with 49 and 85 notifications in week 19 and 20 respectively.
The age and sex breakdown of ILI cases from 30th April to 13th May 2012 show the most reported cases in working age adults, aged 20—49.
56% of all ILI patients were swab tested during weeks 19—20. Notably, there were 10 cases of Influenza detected during this period, 6 Flu A (untyped), 0 H1N1 (2009), and 4 Flu B. There were 20 cases of Rhinovirus detected making it the most common respiratory viruses circulating the nation at present.
For more information: ASPREN
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