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. 2020 Nov;25(47):2001847.
doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.47.2001847.

Where has all the influenza gone? The impact of COVID-19 on the circulation of influenza and other respiratory viruses, Australia, March to September 2020

Sheena G Sullivan  1 , Sandra Carlson  2 , Allen C Cheng  3   4 , Monique Bn Chilver  5 , Dominic E Dwyer  6 , Melissa Irwin  7 , Jen Kok  6 , Kristine Macartney  8   9 , Jennifer MacLachlan  10 , Cara Minney-Smith  11 , David Smith  11   12 , Nigel Stocks  5 , Janette Taylor  6 , Ian G Barr  13
Affiliations

Where has all the influenza gone? The impact of COVID-19 on the circulation of influenza and other respiratory viruses, Australia, March to September 2020

Sheena G Sullivan et al. Euro Surveill. 2020 Nov.

Erratum in

  • Erratum for Euro Surveill. 2020;25(47).
    Eurosurveillance editorial team. Eurosurveillance editorial team. Euro Surveill. 2021 May;26(21):210527e. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.21.210527e. Euro Surveill. 2021. PMID: 34047272 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

Abstract

The coronavirus disease pandemic was declared in March 2020, as the southern hemisphere's winter approached. Australia expected co-circulation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, influenza and other seasonal respiratory viruses. However, influenza notifications were 7,029 (March-September) compared with an average 149,832 for the same period in 2015-2019 [corrected], despite substantial testing. Restrictions on movement within and into Australia may have temporarily eliminated influenza. Other respiratory pathogens also showed remarkably changed activity in 2020.

Keywords: influenza; non-pharmaceutical interventions; respiratory syncytial virus; rhinoviruses; travel restrictions.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Surveillance data on (A) influenza and COVID-19 notifications and measures implemented, (B) ILI consultation rates by week and (C) total influenza admissions per week at national sentinel hospitals, Australia, as at 30 September 2020
Figure 2
Figure 2
Selected surveillance data on (A) emergency department visit rates by week and weekly laboratory testing for respiratory viruses from (B) NSW and (C) WA, Australia, January–September 2020
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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