An error has been noted in the text in the pertussis (whooping cough) section of this report concerning 2017 data. The error was in the text only and did not affect the underlying data or any of the published figures. All publications affected are in the process of being updated.

Vaccine-preventable disease

The number of reported cases of all vaccine-preventable diseases in Scotland covered in this report remains low and stable.

All vaccine-preventable diseases under surveillance in this report have shown a notable reduction since early 2020. This is likely to be a result of the social distancing measures and other restrictions implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Invasive bacterial diseases

Case numbers for invasive pneumococcal disease and meningococcal disease to September 2022 were higher than those in the same period in 2021.

• There were 232 cases of pneumococcal disease compared with 181 in 2021.
• There were 19 cases of meningococcal disease compared with eight in 2021.

Cases reported in 2022, however, remain lower than the number of cases reported for the same period in each of the previous three years.

Case numbers for invasive Haemophilus influenzae to September 2022 were:

• higher than those to September 2020 and 2021, with 46 cases to date this year compared with 42 and 18 in 2020 and 2021, respectively
• slightly lower than for the same period in 2018 and 2019.

Measles, mumps and rubella

No cases of measles have been reported between April and September this year. There was one reported case of measles from the first quarter of 2022, which was imported from outwith the UK. This was the first case reported in Scotland since 2019.

There have been five laboratory confirmed cases of mumps reported to date in 2022 . In 2021 only one laboratory-confirmed case was reported.

No cases of rubella have been reported in Scotland since 2017.

Pertussis

Three cases of pertussis have been reported in 2022. Only four laboratory-confirmed cases were reported in 2021, a considerable decline from the 198 cases reported in 2020.