Viral respiratory diseases (including influenza and COVID-19) in Scotland surveillance report

About this release

This weekly release by Public Health Scotland presents epidemiological information on respiratory infection activity, including COVID-19, across Scotland. Due to the dynamic nature of all datasets included in this report, figures contained within each update may be subject to change in future releases. Any revised figures will then be reflected within the latest update.

Between 24 April and 9 October 2025, PHS are reducing the frequency of the Viral respiratory diseases (including influenza and COVID-19) in Scotland narrative report to monthly. PHS will move to weekly dashboard only updates for respiratory infection and COVID-19 surveillance. This approach aligns to the pre-pandemic one for respiratory pathogens, which typically follow a seasonal pattern. PHS will continue to monitor COVID-19 and other respiratory infection levels and reinstate the weekly narrative report before 9 October 2025 if necessary.

Main Points

Overall assessment 10 March 2025 to 16 March 2025 (ISO week 11): 

• Syndromic indicators for respiratory infections in the community and in GP practices are all at baseline.  
• The overall number of laboratory-confirmed influenza cases (routine community and hospital settings) continues to decrease in week 11, and has this week dropped from moderate to low levels of activity (7% test positivity). Although influenza B continues to decline it still accounts for most of the total of influenza cases (57.7%). Influenza B test positivity decreased in the CARI community system this week, for the first time since the beginning of the year (at 10.9% from 20% last week). Influenza-related hospital admissions in Scotland decreased (to 112 from 172 last week). 
• RSV signals remain low and consistent across all surveillance systems this week, with the exception of RSV-related hospital admissions, which increased slightly to 31 cases this week compared to 27 cases last week. 
• Overall, COVID-19 signals remain low and consistent across all surveillance systems (1.9% test positivity and 79 cases reported through ECOSS). There was a small increase in the CARI community system (1.6% test positivity, from 0.2%) although overall levels remained very low.  
• All-cause excess mortality for week 8 (the latest week not impacted by reporting delays) remained at baseline overall and across age groups.

Further information

The next release will be 27 March 2025.

Find out more

Previous Publications

Versions of the Weekly national respiratory report publication released before 30 November 2022 may be found on the Public Health Scotland website.

Versions of the COVID-19 weekly statistical report publication released before 30 November 2022 may be found on the Public Health Scotland website.

Open data

Open data from this publication is available from the following weblinks:

• Viral respiratory diseases Open Data platform
• Flu and COVID vaccination uptake Open Data platform

Further data

• The COVID-19 Vaccine Wastage datafile was updated on 18 April 2024 to include the most recent information.
• The COVID-19 in Adult Care Homes in Scotland datafile was updated on 27 July 2023 to include more recent information.
• 28 September 2022 COVID-19 statistical report publication contains information on COVID-19 infection and vaccination in pregnancy in Scotland.
• 2 March 2022 COVID-19 statistical report publication contains information on Highest Risk (shielding patients list)
• 7 November 2023 Community Acute Respiratory Infection (CARI) surveillance in primary care contains information on flu Vaccine effectiveness in community settings.
• 25 May 2023 Interim 2022/23 influenza vaccine effectiveness: six European studies, October 2022 to January 2023, contains information on flu Vaccine effectiveness in hospital settings.
• 13 January 2024 Estimated number of lives directly saved by COVID-19 vaccination programs in the WHO European Region, December 2020 to March 2023, contains information on lives saved due to COVID-19 vaccination