England's weekly respiratory virus picture has stayed broadly calm into late October, according to the latest national surveillance report published on 29 October 2026. Covering data up to week 43, from 19 to 25 October, the report finds influenza activity stable across most indicators and circulating at low levels, Covid-19 activity falling and also at low levels, while respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity has increased but remains at baseline levels. It is a mixed but reassuring snapshot as the winter virus season gathers pace.

Flu steady, but vaccine uptake trails last year

Influenza positivity in laboratories held steady at 6.6%, compared with 6.4% the previous week, and the weekly hospital admission rate for flu was stable at 2.47 per 100,000 people. GP consultations for flu-like illness were also stable at 6.5 per 100,000. Flu vaccine uptake, however, is running slightly behind the same point last season: 53.6% of people aged 65 and over had been vaccinated, against 56.9% last year, with lower uptake also recorded among younger children and people in clinical risk groups, though uptake among pregnant women was higher.

Covid down, RSV climbing in young children

Covid-19 hospital cases fell to 1,847 in week 43 from 2,151 the week before, and test positivity in hospitals eased to 8.3% from 8.8%. By the end of the week, 42.5% of people aged 75 and over in England had received an autumn 2026 Covid dose. RSV is the virus moving in the other direction: laboratory positivity rose to 1.5% from 0.9%, with the highest rates among children under five, where DataMart positivity reached 8.3%. Health officials will watch that trend closely as colder weather brings more indoor mixing.

Sources: GOV.UK / UK Health Security Agency.