Cases are high particularly in adults aged 65 years and over, though they have decreased in recent weeks.

Norovirus laboratory reports between weeks 5 and 6 of 2026 (26 January 2026 to 8 February 2026) were 45.9% higher than the 5-season average for the same 2-week period.

Respiratory viruses such as flu and RSV continue to fall, meanwhile, and are at baseline and low levels, respectively.

For the week of 2-8 February, flu positivity decreased with a weekly mean positivity rate of 3.9% compared with 5.5% in the previous week. Overall, flu hospitalisations decreased to 1.48 per 100,000 compared with 2.13 per 100,000 in the previous week.

RSV positivity remained stable at 4.5% compared with 4.8% in the previous week. Overall weekly hospital admission rates for RSV decreased to 1.18 per 100,000 compared with 1.68 per 100,000 in the previous week.

Covid positivity increased with a weekly mean positivity rate of 2.5% compared with 2.1% in the previous week. Hospitalisations increased at 0.94 per 100,000 compared with 0.77 per 100,000 in the previous week. ICU admissions remained low at 0.02 per 100,000 compared with 0.02 per 100,000 in the previous week.

Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: ‘We're continuing to see cases of flu and RSV falling week after week, which is a really positive sign. While cases of COVID-19 are increasing, levels are still very low.'