WIREDGOV

Report monitoring respiratory viruses for the 2026/27 season.

Latest update

This weekly bulletin brings together the latest surveillance data, along with the latest public health advice for flu, COVID-19, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and other viruses.

Respiratory viruses, in week 26 October and 1 November 2026

• Influenza activity showed variable trends across surveillance indicators and is circulating at low levels
• COVID-19 activity decreased and is circulating at low levels
• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity increased and is circulating at baseline level

Dr Jamie LopezBernal, Consultant Epidemiologist at UK Health Security Agency:

As expected with the school half-term ‘firebreak’ last week, flu cases have remained at low levels, with a small increase in people being hospitalised. We have seen RSV levels continue to increase particularly among young children aged under 5 years, while COVID-19 levels have decreased further.

With schools now back, we do expect to see Flu and RSV increasing in the coming weeks. If you’re eligible for a free NHS vaccine don’t miss out and regret it later. Every year thousands of unvaccinated vulnerable people end up severely ill in hospital, some in intensive care. While it may not completely stop you getting flu, a vaccine will help reduce the severity of the disease – and could save your life.

The flu, COVID-19 and RSV surveillance report and the national norovirus and rotavirus surveillance reports: 2026 to 2027 season are published weekly. For more detailed data on surveillance indicators for the 3 major respiratory viruses see below.

Flu surveillance data for week 44 (26 October to 1 November 2026): 

• Influenza activity showed variable trends across surveillance indicators and is circulating at low levels
• Influenza positivity from laboratory surveillance increased with a positivity rate of 7.6% compared with 6.8% on the previous week.
• overall, the flu hospitalisation rate increased to 2.83 per 100,000 compared with 2.51 per 100,000 in the previous week

COVID-19 surveillance data for week 44 (26 October and 1 November 2026): 

• COVID-19 activity decreased and is circulating at low levels
• COVID-19 positivity from laboratory surveillance decreased slightly with a positivity rate on the most recent Sunday of 7.6% compared with 8.1% on the previous Sunday
• COVID-19 hospitalisations decreased to 2.23 per 100,000 compared with 2.58 per 100,000 in the previous week
• COVID-19 ICU/HDU admissions remained low at 0.05 per 100,000 compared with 0.06 per 100,000 in the previous week

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) surveillance data for week 44 (26 October and 1 November 2026):

• RSV activity increased and is circulating at baseline levels
• RSV positivity from laboratory surveillance increased to 2.9% compared with 1.6% in the previous week
• overall weekly hospital admission rate for RSV increased to 0.80 per 100,000 compared with 0.57 per 100,000 in the previous week

Norovirus surveillance data between weeks 43 and 44 of 2026 (19 October to 1 November 2026)

Norovirus activity has remained stable and within expected levels in recent weeks

Overall, norovirus laboratory reports between weeks 43 and 44 of 2026 (19 October 2026 to 1 November 2026) were 17.4% lower than the 5-season average for the same 2-week period.

Rotavirus activity has decreased in recent weeks and remains within expected levels

Rotavirus activity between weeks 43 and 44 of 2026 was 9.1% higher than the 5-season average for the same 2-week period.

Due to the Hospital Norovirus Outbreak Reporting System (HNORS) going offline there is no update on the number of norovirus outbreaks this week.

During the 2025/2026 season to date, the majority (88.6%) of samples characterised were norovirus genogroup 2 (GII), of which the most frequent genotypes identified were GII.4[P16] (23.4%) and GII.9[P7] (20.6%).

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 become ill, it is important to drink plenty of fluids during that time.

There are simple steps we can all take to help stop norovirus from spreading. Wash your hands with soap and warm water and use bleach-based products on clean surfaces to help stop infections spreading. Alcohol gels do not kill norovirus, so don’t rely on these alone.

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 during that time either. If you are unwell, avoid visiting people in hospitals and care homes to prevent passing on the infection to those who are most vulnerable.