How to deal with influenza: Worthwhile surveillance system is in action

doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7476.1239

BMJ 2004;329:1239 (20 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7476.1239

Letter

How to deal with influenza

Worthwhile surveillance system is in action

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—We support Jefferson's recommendation to strengthensurveillance capability for influenza, especially the identificationof circulating virus amidst non-specific respiratory illness.¹In north west England the Health Protection Agency has beendeveloping influenza surveillance to increase the coverage ofthe national consultation system for general practitioners (runby the Royal College of General Practitioners),² after a successfulpilot scheme in 1999 that detected a local epidemic of influenzaA in Merseyside.³

This year more than 80 general practices are contributing weeklydata on influenza and influenza-like illness to local healthprotection units. Weekly data are submitted through a web basedcapture system and viewed over the NHSnet in real time at agespecific rates. An electronic weekly bulletin produced by theagency's north west office is disseminated to a wide audience,including primary care trusts and strategic health authorities,and is also available on the website.⁴

The bulletin includes . . . [Full text of this article]

Catherine Quigley, consultant regional epidemiologist

catherine.quigley@hpa.org.uk

Will Sopwith, senior scientist, Matthew Ashton, public health intelligence specialist

Health Protection Agency North West, Chester CH1 4E

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