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Coronavirus - the new strain XXIV

Through Respiratory DataMart, SARS-CoV-2 increased to 4.7% compared with 4.0% in the
previous week.
COVID-19 case rates decreased slightly overall. Positivity in Pillar 1 increased slightly overall,
within most age and ethnic groups, and some regions in week 16.

The overall number of reported SARS-CoV-2 confirmed ARI in week 16 decreased compared
with the previous week. There were 6 SARS-CoV-2 confirmed ARI reported in week 16 in
England.
Overall, COVID-19 hospitalisations increased slightly to 2.01 per 100,000 compared with 1.76
per 100,000 in the previous week. Hospitalisations were highest in those aged 85 years and
above. COVID-19 ICU admissions remained low and stable at 0.06 per 100,000 in week 16

 
"There is a lot less Covid data around now, but what there is shows that levels of Covid remain low in the UK. That said, I do expect prevalence to increase in the coming weeks as we see the arrival of new variants that seem to be replacing the JN.1 variant that caused the Christmas 2023 wave. We must also prepare for the next pandemic, with outbreaks of Avian Flu (H5N1) in mammals becoming increasingly concerning."

A new Covid wave:
"However, it is likely we are about to enter a new wave of infections due to the global increase of new subvariants of the current dominant variant JN.1. Essentially, JN.1 has mutated further and several of its children have found mutations that help them spread much faster than their parent. "

christinapagel.substack.com

Covid levels remain low but new variants are coming, as is bird flu

There is a lot less Covid data around now, but what there is shows that levels of Covid remain low in the UK. That said, I do expect prevalence to increase in the coming weeks as we see the arrival of new variants that seem to be replacing the JN.1 variant that caused the Christmas 2023 wave. We...
christinapagel.substack.com christinapagel.substack.com
 
My wife went down with it over the weekend. It's really hit me today, very very unpleasant for both of us

We suspect she picked it up at her Pilates class, a great environment for it to spread in a small studio
 
Cases have risen sharply, albeit from a low level...

Through Respiratory DataMart, SARS-CoV-2 increased to 7.1% compared with 4.6% in the
previous week.
COVID-19 case rates and positivity in Pillar 1 increased overall, within all age groups, and most
regions and ethnic groups in week 17.

The overall number of reported SARS-CoV-2 confirmed ARI incidents in week 17 increased
compared with the previous week. There were 17 SARS-CoV-2 confirmed ARI incidents
reported in week 17 in England.

Overall, COVID-19 hospitalisations increased to 2.56 per 100,000 compared with 1.97 per
100,000 in the previous week. Hospitalisations were highest in the 85 years and over age
group. COVID-19 ICU admissions remained low and stable at 0.07 per 100,000 in week 17

 
Both elderly parents had boosters this week. Nothing for my sister or myself. She might get hers via work (NHS) but I suspect I’ll have to pay up.
 
Mullardman said:
I got a text a couple of days ago.
This will be my 7th jab.
I'm 75
Click to expand...

I miscounted. It's my 8th. Even so I had Covid last year. Felt rotten for 24 hours then exhausted for a week or so with little appetite. But.. could possibly have been much worse...
 
The UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released its latest estimates of how many people in England and Scotland are living with Long Covid using the recent Winter Infection Survey. These are the first good estimates of levels of Long Covid for over a year - the previous update was in March 2023 with the final ONS Coronavirus Infection Survey report.

"The overall message that Long Covid has not gone away and remains an important problem that desperately needs more research into physiological mechansims, prevention and treatment is unchanged."

christinapagel.substack.com

Updated estimates of Long Covid in England and Scotland show that it remains a serious issue

The UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released its latest estimates of how many people in England and Scotland are living with Long Covid using the recent Winter Infection Survey. These are the first good estimates of levels of Long Covid for over a year
christinapagel.substack.com christinapagel.substack.com
 
AstraZeneca has begun the worldwide withdrawal of its Covid-19 vaccine due to a “surplus of available updated vaccines” that target new variants of the virus.

The announcement follows the pharmaceutical company in March voluntarily withdrawing its European Union marketing authorisation, which is the approval to market a medicine in member states.

On 7 May, the European Medicines Agency issued a notice that the vaccine is no longer authorised for use.

www.theguardian.com

AstraZeneca withdraws Covid-19 vaccine worldwide, citing surplus of newer vaccines

Pharmaceutical company says newer shots led to decline in demand for AstraZeneca vaccine, which is no longer being manufactured or supplied
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
My wife has just tested positive after feeling more tired than usual and developing a cough. I've just done a test as well and it's negative...
 
Case numbers are still ticking up

COVID-19
Through Respiratory DataMart, SARS-CoV-2 increased to 8.6% compared with 6.8% in the
previous week.
COVID-19 case rates and positivity in Pillar 1 increased overall and within most age groups and
regions, and some ethnic groups in week 18.

The overall number of reported SARS-CoV-2 confirmed ARI incidents in week 18 increased
slightly compared with the previous week. There were 20 SARS-CoV-2 confirmed ARI incidents
reported in week 18 in England, an increase from 17 in the previous week.
Overall, COVID-19 hospitalisations increased to 3.28 per 100,000 compared with 2.50 per
100,000 in the previous week. Hospitalisations were highest in the 85 years and over age
group. COVID-19 ICU admissions remained low and stable at 0.07 per 100,000 in week 18.

 

Lack of bird flu testing may be hiding true spread of virus on US farms​

H5N1 has been found in commercially available milk – but gaps in testing of cattle and humans are hampering effort to stop virus

"The bird flu count among dairy herds in the US continues rising, but infections are more widespread than previously realized, as testing in commercially available milk reveals.

While the risk to people is still low, that could change as the virus mutates, so its continued circulation remains a big concern."

www.theguardian.com

Lack of bird flu testing may be hiding true spread of virus on US farms

H5N1 has been found in commercially available milk – but gaps in testing of cattle and humans are hampering effort to stop virus
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
Update: my wife was still testing positive yesterday (a strong reaction), and I've just done a test a little earlier, and I'm still negative. Mrs G's theory is that I had COVID a week or so ago without realising, and that's how she caught it. I know that on the bank holiday Monday (6th) we went to Newbury and I remember I had a low-level headache for much of that day. Maybe that was it. Any sniffles I had I put down to the increasingly obvious hay fever I get at this time of year. Thankfully her symptoms seem to be milder than when we both had it a year ago.
 
COVID-19
Through Respiratory DataMart, SARS-CoV-2 increased slightly to 9.0% compared with 8.2% in
the previous week.

Pillar 1 COVID-19 positivity increased overall and within all age groups and most regions in
week 19, although total weekly cases decreased compared with the previous week.
The number of reported SARS-CoV-2 confirmed ARI incidents in week 19 decreased slightly
compared with the previous week. There were 12 SARS-CoV-2 confirmed ARI incidents
reported in week 19 in England, a decrease from 20 in the previous week.
Overall, COVID-19 hospitalisations stabilised to 3.13 per 100,000 compared with 3.21 per
100,000 in the previous week. Hospitalisations were highest in the aged 85 years and over age
group. COVID-19 ICU admissions remained low and stable at 0.08 per 100,000 in week 19

 
The TV presenter Kate Garraway has said the UK government’s prosecution of unpaid carers for thousands of pounds in benefit payments has a “horrible echo” of the Post Office scandal.

In an emotional intervention on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Garraway said many people had pleaded with her to “please do something” to help those being pursued by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Garraway, 57, has spoken movingly about caring for her late husband, Derek Draper, who died in January after being seriously ill for nearly four years with complications linked to long Covid.

www.theguardian.com

Kate Garraway: persecution of carers has ‘horrible echo’ of Post Office scandal

Presenter, who cared for late husband, said she was approached by people in street pleading for intervention
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 

I love being a pharmacist, but the UK’s drug shortage makes me want to give up – and Brexit makes it worse​

Mike Hewitson
Telling patients I can’t get their life-saving medication is awful. The government must act to prevent a real tragedy

www.theguardian.com

I love being a pharmacist, but the UK’s drug shortage makes me want to give up – and Brexit makes it worse | Mike Hewitson

Telling patients I can’t get their life-saving medication is awful. The government must act to prevent a real tragedy, says pharmacist Mike Hewitson
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
Please note that after the week 21 report (covering data up to week 20), this surveillance report
will be moving to a condensed summer report and released every two weeks.

Overall
In week 20, influenza activity decreased slightly in most indicators. COVID-19 activity
decreased across most indicators with the number of ARI incidents increasing slightly, and
hospitalisations remaining stable. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity remained at low
interseasonal levels.

COVID-19
Through Respiratory DataMart, SARS-CoV-2 decreased to 6.4% compared with 8.8% in the
previous week.

Pillar 1 COVID-19 case rates decreased overall and within most ethnic groups in week 20. Pillar
1 COVID-19 positivity decreased overall and within most age groups and regions in week 20.
The number of reported SARS-CoV-2 confirmed ARI incidents in week 20 increased slightly
compared with the previous week. There were 16 SARS-CoV-2 confirmed ARI incidents
reported in week 20 in England, an increase from 12 in the previous week.
Overall, COVID-19 hospitalisations remained stable at 2.99 per 100,000 compared with 3.09
per 100,000 in the previous week. Hospitalisations were highest in the 85 years and over age
group. COVID-19 ICU admissions remained low and stable at 0.08 per 100,000 in week 20.
Overall, 49.2% of all people aged 75 years and over in England had been vaccinated with a
spring 2024 booster dose since 15 April 2024

 
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