Integrated Respiratory Virus Bulletin, Ireland

Week 4 2025 (19/01/2025 - 26/01/2025)

Report prepared on 29/01/2025



This interactive bulletin reports on the latest epidemiology of COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other respiratory viruses (ORVs) in Ireland. HPSC monitors several integrated respiratory virus surveillance systems that are included in this bulletin. This report will be published weekly during the winter season (week 40 to week 20).

How to use this interactive bulletin

For interactive graphs – data values and labels can be seen by hovering over graph lines or bars. Specific categories can be selected or deselected by clicking on the relevant category in the legend. Readers can skip to specific sections by clicking on the table of contents to the left of the screen.

1 Key messages

During week 4 2025, influenza activity in Ireland remained at high levels, although notified influenza cases, hospitalisations and hospital bed occupancy have decreased during the last three weeks. Sentinel GP influenza positivity declined during the last four weeks, but remained above the 10% positivity threshold at 39.2%. Influenza A(H1)pdm09 is the predominant influenza virus circulating, with influenza A(H3) and B virus detections reported at lower levels. RSV notifications and hospitalisations decreased for the third consecutive week in week 4 2025. COVID-19 activity remained at low levels during week 4 2025.

1.1 Summary for week 4 2025

Primary Care Surveillance

The sentinel GP Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) consultation rate decreased in week 4 2025, for the third consecutive week, to 98.6/100,000 population. The highest rates were in those aged <5 years at 319.7/100,000 population in week 4. Sentinel GP influenza positivity declined for the fourth week in a row, to 39.2%, but remained above the 10% positivity threshold levels. Sentinel GP RSV positivity was below the baseline threshold. All other seasonal respiratory pathogens are circulating at lower levels and are below baseline. The proportion of GP-OOH calls for self-reported cough decreased in week 4 but was still above threshold levels for almost all age groups except those aged 65 and over. The proportion of self-reported flu calls also decreased in all age-groups and was below or at baseline in all age groups except for those aged 15-64 years.

COVID-19

COVID-19 activity remained at low levels across all indicators in week 4 2025, with a decrease in case numbers and hospitalisations compared to week 3. COVID-19 cases decreased by 11.0%, from 146 cases notified in week 3 to 130 cases in week 4. Hospitalised cases decreased by 10.0%, from 50 cases in week 3 to 45 cases in week 4. ICU admissions and deaths remained low. XEC was the dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant and accounted for 73.6% of samples sequenced between week 50 2024 and week 02 2025. Due to technical difficulties, up-to-date wastewater graphs are not available. However, SARS-CoV-2 levels in wastewater remain low.

Influenza

Influenza activity decreased in week 4 2025, for the third consecutive week. The number of notified influenza cases decreased by 42% to 1,456 cases in week 4 2025, compared to 2,520 reported in in week 3 2025.The overall notification rate was 28.3/100,000 population and was highest in those aged ≥80 years at 119.3/100,000 population, followed by those aged less than one year at 69.2/100,000 population. There were 268 hospitalisations, one ICU admission and two deaths notified during week 4 2025. For the season to date (weeks 40 2024 to week 4 2025), 169 ICU admissions and 122 deaths have been reported. Influenza hospital bed occupancy decreased during week 4 2025. Influenza A(H1)pdm09 is the predominant virus circulating this season, followed by influenza B and influenza A(H3). Influenza B notified cases remain at low levels. Among all notified influenza cases during week 4 2025, 22.7% (331) were influenza B.

RSV

The number of notified RSV cases decreased by 37% in week 4 2025, with 377 cases notified compared to 594 in week 3 2025. The overall notification rate decreased for the third consecutive week to 7.3/100,000 population. In week 4 2025, the notification rate was highest in those aged less than one year at 77.9/100,000 population, followed by those aged 80 years and over at 50.3/100,000 population. There were 106 hospitalisations and one ICU admission reported in week 4 2025. For the season to date (weeks 40 2024 to week 4 2025), 65 ICU admissions and four deaths have been reported.

Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI)

Based on data from the three sentinel hospital sites, the number of SARI cases reported in week 4 decreased by 19.5% with 70 cases, compared to 87 cases reported in week 3 2025. In week 4 2025, SARS-CoV-2 positivity remained at low levels increasing to 2.9% from 2.3% in week 3; influenza positivity decreased to 34.3% from 37.9% in week 3 and RSV positivity increased to 18.6% from 14.9% in week 3.

Outbreaks

The overall number of respiratory virus outbreaks have decreased during week 4. A total of seven COVID-19 outbreaks (three in hospitals, two in nursing homes and two in residential institutions) were reported during week 4, an increase from five outbreaks notified during week 3. Eighteen influenza outbreaks (five in hospitals, five in nursing homes, seven in residential institutions and one in another healthcare setting) were reported in week 4, a decrease from 46 outbreaks in week 3. Nine RSV outbreaks (one in a hospital, five in nursing homes and three in residential institutions) and eight other ARI outbreaks (seven in nursing homes and one in a community hospital/long-stay unit) were also notified during week 4 2025. There was also one mixed ARI outbreak consisting of multiple respiratory pathogens notified during week 4.


2 Activity

2.1 Confirmed Cases


1: Number of notified cases of laboratory confirmed of COVID-19, influenza and RSV by notification week in Ireland between week 40 2023 and week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR


2.2 COVID-19 seasonal trends

2: Number of notified cases of laboratory confirmed of COVID-19 by notification week in Ireland between week 40 2019 and week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR

Please note: where there is a 53 week year, the average of week 52 and week 53 is taken.


2.3 Influenza seasonal trends

3: Number of notified cases of laboratory confirmed of influenza by notification week in Ireland between week 40 2019 and week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR

Please note: where there is a 53 week year, the average of week 52 and week 53 is taken.


2.4 RSV seasonal trends

4: Number of notified cases of laboratory confirmed RSV by notification week in Ireland between week 40 2019 and week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR

Please note: where there is a 53 week year, the average of week 52 and week 53 is taken.


Table 1: Number and incidence of notified laboratory confirmed cases of COVID-19, influenza and RSV, by age, sex and HSE health region, Ireland, week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR.

Number of cases (incidence per 100,000 population)

All pathogens

COVID-19

Influenza

RSV

Cases

1,963 (38.1)

130 (2.5)

1,456 (28.3)

377 (7.3)

Age groups (years)

<1

93 (160.9)

8 (13.8)

40 (69.2)

45 (77.9)

1-4

231 (97.2)

4 (1.7)

153 (64.4)

74 (31.1)

5-14

229 (31.9)

5 (0.7)

210 (29.3)

14 (2.0)

15-44

394 (19.1)

12 (0.6)

360 (17.4)

22 (1.1)

45-64

294 (22.7)

20 (1.5)

222 (17.2)

52 (4.0)

65-79

381 (64.0)

47 (7.9)

255 (42.8)

79 (13.3)

>80

341 (188.4)

34 (18.8)

216 (119.3)

91 (50.3)

Median age (IQR)

46 (10-75)

72 (50-80)

42 (12-72)

59 (2-79)

Sex

Male

947 (37.2)

66 (2.6)

693 (27.2)

188 (7.4)

Female

1,008 (38.7)

64 (2.5)

756 (29.0)

188 (7.2)

HSE Health Regions

Dublin and North East

349 (6.8)

26 (2.2)

257 (21.6)

66 (5.6)

Dublin and Midlands

352 (6.8)

21 (1.9)

267 (24.8)

64 (5.9)

Dublin and South East

632 (12.3)

41 (4.2)

490 (50.5)

101 (10.4)

South West

269 (5.2)

13 (1.8)

205 (27.7)

51 (6.9)

Mid West

123 (2.4)

12 (2.9)

88 (21.3)

23 (5.6)

West and North West

238 (4.6)

17 (2.2)

149 (19.6)

72 (9.5)


An overview of the characteristics of all cases reported since the start of the season is presented in Appendix A1.


5: Incidence of notified cases of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, influenza and RSV by HSE Health Region for the last 12 weeks, from week 45 2024 to week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR


6: Age and sex-specific incidence of notified cases of laboratory confirmed COVID-19, influenza and RSV from week 40 2024 to week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR

Please note that the scale on the x-axis may differ by pathogen, to account for differences in the number of cases notified for each pathogen.


7: Incidence of notified cases of laboratory confirmed COVID-19, influenza and RSV by age group from week 40 2023 to week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR


2.5 Sentinel GP Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) Surveillance

2.5.1 Sentinel GP ARI

8: Sentinel GP ARI consultation rate per 100,000 population overall (with associated number of influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 positive sentinel GP ARI specimens) from week 40 2023 to week 4 2025. Data source: Sentinel GP surveillance system and NVRL.

2.5.2 Sentinel GP ARI by Age Group

9: Sentinel GP ARI consultation incidence by age-group, from week 40 2023 to week 4 2025 2024. Data source: Sentinel GP surveillance system.


2.6 GP Out-of-Hours Surveillance


10: Percentage of calls to GP Out-of-Hours services for self-reported cough and self-reported flu, for all ages and by age-group, by week of call from week 40 2023 to week 4 2025. Data source: Participating GP Out-of-Hours services in Ireland.


3 Severity and Impact

3.1 Emergency Department Cases

3.1.1 Incidence of Emergency Department Cases

11: Incidence of emergency department cases of laboratory confirmed COVID-19, influenza and RSV from week 40 2023 to week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR


3.1.2 Number of Emergency Department Cases


12: Number of emergency department cases of laboratory confirmed COVID-19, influenza and RSV, from week 40 2023 to week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR


3.2 Hospital Admissions

3.2.1 Incidence of Hospitalised Cases


13: Incidence of hospitalised cases of laboratory confirmed COVID-19, influenza and RSV from week 40 2023 to week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR


3.2.2 Number of Hospitalised Cases


14: Number of hospitalised cases of laboratory confirmed COVID-19, influenza and RSV from week 40 2023 to week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR

Table 2: Number and incidence of hospitalised cases of laboratory confirmed COVID-19, influenza and RSV by age, sex and HSE health region, Ireland, week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR

Number of cases (incidence per 100,000 population)

All pathogens

COVID-19

Influenza

RSV

Cases

419 (8.1)

45 (0.9)

268 (5.2)

106 (2.1)

Age groups (years)

<1

28 (48.4)

3 (5.2)

10 (17.3)

15 (26.0)

1-4

68 (28.6)

1 (0.4)

37 (15.6)

30 (12.6)

5-14

59 (8.2)

3 (0.4)

52 (7.3)

4 (0.6)

15-44

33 (1.6)

0 (0.0)

27 (1.3)

6 (0.3)

45-64

41 (3.2)

5 (0.4)

28 (2.2)

8 (0.6)

65-79

89 (15.0)

15 (2.5)

55 (9.2)

19 (3.2)

>80

101 (55.8)

18 (9.9)

59 (32.6)

24 (13.3)

Median age (IQR)

56 (6-79)

78 (64-87)

48 (7.75-78)

36.5 (1-78)

Sex

Male

217 (8.5)

22 (0.9)

135 (5.3)

60 (2.4)

Female

202 (7.8)

23 (0.9)

133 (5.1)

46 (1.8)

HSE Health Regions

Dublin and North East

33 (0.6)

2 (0.2)

17 (1.4)

14 (1.2)

Dublin and Midlands

67 (1.3)

8 (0.7)

42 (3.9)

17 (1.6)

Dublin and South East

81 (1.6)

8 (0.8)

54 (5.6)

19 (2)

South West

75 (1.5)

6 (0.8)

53 (7.2)

16 (2.2)

Mid West

62 (1.2)

9 (2.2)

45 (10.9)

8 (1.9)

West and North West

101 (2)

12 (1.6)

57 (7.5)

32 (4.2)


An overview of the characteristics of all hospitalised cases reported since the start of the season is presented in Appendix A2.


15: Age and sex-specific incidence of hospitalised cases of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, influenza and RSV from week 40 2024 to week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR

Please note that the scale on the x-axis may differ by pathogen, to account for differences in the number of cases notified for each pathogen.


16: Incidence of hospitalised cases of laboratory confirmed COVID-19, influenza and RSV by age group from week 40 2023 to week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR


Figure 17: Cumulative incidence of hospitalised cases of laboratory confirmed COVID-19, influenza and RSV by HSE health region, according to patient county of residence in week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR


3.2.3 Bed Occupancy in Acute Inpatient Settings


18: Number of hospital beds occupied by patients with laboratory confirmed COVID-19, influenza or RSV. Data source: HSE Planning and Performance Unit


3.3 ICU Admissions


19: Number of ICU admissions due to laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, influenza and RSV, week 40 2023 to week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR


Please note that there may be a delay in documenting ICU cases on Ireland’s Computerised Infectious Disease Reporting System (CIDR) system and submitting enhanced ICU surveillance data, consequently numbers reported for the most recent weeks may be incomplete.

Table 3: Number and incidence of ICU admissions due to COVID-19, influenza and RSV, week 4 2025, and season to date (from week 40 2024). Data source: CIDR.

Week 4, 2025

Season to date

Number of ICU admissionsa

ICU admissions per 1,000 hospitalisations

% of hospitalised cases admitted to ICU

Number of ICU admissions

ICU admissions per 1,000 hospitalisations

% of hospitalised cases admitted to ICU

COVID-19

0

0.0

0.0

32

22.6

2.3

Influenza

1

3.7

0.4

169

37.9

3.8

RSV

1

9.4

0.9

65

35.3

3.5

aICU admissions include all cases admitted to ICU due to COVID-19, influenza and RSV.


3.4 Sentinel Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) Surveillance


20: Number and incidence of SARI hospitalised cases (emergency admissions) by week of hospital admission, from week 40 2024 to week 4 2025. Data source: Sentinel SARI surveillance system.


21: Percentage of SARI cases with a positive laboratory test result for SARS-CoV-2, influenza or RSV by week, from week 40 2024 to week 4 2025. Data source: Sentinel SARI surveillance system.


3.5 Mortality

3.5.1 Deaths Among Confirmed Cases


22: Number of COVID-19, influenza and RSV deaths by week of death. Data source: CIDR


Table 4: Number and incidence of COVID-19, influenza and RSV deaths for the season to date. Data source: CIDR

COVID-19

Influenza

RSV

Age (years)

Number

Incidence per 100,000 population

Number

Incidence per 100,000 population

Number

Incidence per 100,000 population

<65

4

0.1

18

0.4

0

0.0

>65

65

8.4

104

13.4

4

0.5

Total

69

1.3

122

2.4

4

0.1


4 Outbreaks


23: Number of COVID-19, influenza, RSV and other ARI outbreaks reported in health and care settings from week 40 2023 to week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR.


Table 5 : COVID-19, influenza, RSV and other ARI outbreaks reported by setting week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR

Epi week: 4 2025

Outbreak location

COVID-19

Influenza

RSV

ARI

Total week 4, 2025

Total season to date

Comm. Hosp/Long-stay unit

0

0

0

1

1

44

Hospital

3

5

1

0

9

228

Nursing home

2

5

5

7

19

280

Other healthcare service

0

1

0

0

1

11

Residential institution

2

7

3

0

12

80

Total Health Care Settings

7

18

9

8

42

643

Total Non Health Care Settings

0

0

0

0

0

8

Total

7

18

9

8

42

652


24: Number of COVID-19, influenza, RSV and other ARI outbreaks by HSE health region, week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR.


5 Virology and Genomic Surveillance

5.1 Virus Positivity and Dominant Virus Types/subtypes in Circulation


Table 6: Number and percentage positive SARS-CoV-2, influenza and RSV specimens by surveillance source, week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR, National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL).

SARS-CoV-2

Influenza

RSV

Surveillance system

Total tested

Total positive

% positive

Total positive

% positive

Total positive

% positive

NVRL Sentinel GP ARI

51

0

0.0

20

39.2

3

5.9

NVRL nonsentinel respiratory viruses

242

2

0.8

35

14.5

24

9.9


25: Percentage for sentinel GP ARI specimens and non-sentinel respiratory specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, influenza, RSV and other respiratory viruses, by week of specimen collection, week 20 2024 to week 4 2025. PIV = parainfluenza viruses. Data source: NVRL


26: Number of sentinel GP ARI and non-sentinel respiratory influenza positive specimens, and laboratory confirmed influenza notifications by influenza type/sub-type, by week of specimen collection, week 40 2023 to week 4 2025. Data source: NVRL, CIDR


Underlying data on the total number of tests, total number of positives and percentage positive by week and for the season to date for each virus for both sentinel and non-sentinel specimens are presented in Appendix A3, Appendix A4, Appendix A5, Appendix A6


5.2 SARS-CoV-2 Genetic and Antigenic Data Including Whole Genome Sequencing


27: SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequencing results, specimen collection dates from week 40 2023 to week 2 2025


There is typically a lag time of 1-3 weeks between a case being notified, selected for sequencing and sequencing being completed. Therefore the percentage of cases notified in this time period who are ultimately sequenced will be higher than reported here.


28: SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequencing results by week specimen collected from week 50 2024 to week 2 2025


6 SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance


29: Approximate location of wastewater catchment areas and SARS-CoV-2 viral loads (gc/day) in wastewater and percentage change compared to previous week, National Wastewater Surveillance Programme, week 50 2024


Figure 30: Weekly distribution of population-normalised SARS-CoV-2 viral load (gc/day/person), National Wastewater Surveillance Programme, May 2021 to week 50 2024


9 Technical notes

General

Data are provisional and subject to ongoing review, validation and update. As a result, figures in this report may differ from previously published figures.

The weekly calendar runs from Sunday to Saturday for respiratory virus notifications on CIDR (as per the Infectious Disease Regulations 1982 and subsequent amendments) and Monday to Sunday for the sentinel GP and SARI surveillance systems (as per ISO week). Further information on epidemiological dates and weeks can be found on the HPSC website.

Definitions

The case definitions for COVID-19, influenza and RSV are available here. Only data on laboratory-confirmed cases, including cases diagnosed using near patient molecular tests, are included in this report.

Sentinel GP ARI consultations are consultations to sentinel GP practices for Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI), with ARI defined as Sudden onset of symptoms AND at least one of the following four respiratory symptoms: Cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, coryza AND a clinician’s judgement that the illness is due to an infection.

GP out of hours calls refer to calls to GP out of hours services from persons with self-reported clinical symptoms of ‘flu’ or ‘cough’.

Emergency Department cases refer to cases treated in emergency departments, with no indication on CIDR that they have subsequently been admitted to hospital.

Hospitalised cases are inpatients with laboratory confirmed SARS-CoV-2, influenza or RSV and includes inpatients with incidental infections, where the infection is not the reason for their admission.

Bed occupancy refers to the number of laboratory confirmed cases admitted to acute inpatient sites at 08:00 hrs on the day of reporting.

A SARI case is defined as a person hospitalised for at least 24 hours with acute respiratory infection, with at least one of the following symptoms: cough, fever, shortness of breath OR sudden onset of anosmia, ageusia or dysgeusia with onset of symptoms within 14 days prior to hospital admission. A SARI case refers to an individual patient episode of care.

As of September 2024, ICU admissions for COVID-19, influenza and RSV refer to those admitted to intensive care where COVID-19, influenza or RSV were the primary or contributory cause of admission. Prior to September 2024, ICU admissions for influenza and RSV included all admissions where the patient tested positive for influenza or RSV, irrespective of whether these pathogens were the cause of admission.

COVID-19, influenza and RSV deaths are defined as a death in a person with laboratory confirmed COVID-19, influenza or RSV infection see case definitions (this includes cases detected postmortem) and where COVID-19, influenza or RSV is reported in any of the four cause of death fields on the death certificate. Deaths where there is a clear alternative cause of death (e.g. trauma, suicide) are not recorded as COVID-19/influenza/RSV deaths. Deaths where there is a period of complete recovery (as assessed by a clinician) between a COVID-19, influenza or RSV episode of illness and death, are also not recorded as deaths.

Test Positivity: Positive tests refer to all positive specimens and includes duplicates and individuals who were re-tested.

Outbreaks are defined as two or more cases of acute respiratory infection with the same pathogen (SARS-CoV-2, influenza or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)) confirmed by a laboratory test or near patient test carried out by a health professional, and where there is reason to consider that these cases may be epidemiologically linked in place and time.

Other Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) outbreaks are defined as: Two or more cases of acute respiratory infection arising within the same 48hr period epidemiologically linked in place: Outbreaks are classified as Suspect ARI outbreaks, where testing has not been completed, is pending or has been negative for Influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2. Outbreaks are classified as confirmed if other respiratory pathogens (ORVs), e.g. Rhinovirus, hMPV, Coronavirus OC43 etc are identified via laboratory confirmation. The outbreak data presented in this report includes both confirmed and suspect outbreaks.

Variant working definitions for ‘SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern’ (VOC), ‘SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest’ (VOI) and ‘SARS-CoV-2 variants under monitoring’ (VUM) are available on the WHO website and ECDC website.

Data Sources

The Computerised Infectious Disease Reporting (CIDR) system: CIDR is the source of statutory notification data on laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, influenza, RSV (including data on notified, emergency department, hospitalised and ICU cases and data on cases who died) and data on outbreaks.

The type/subtype of laboratory confirmed influenza notifications are reported on the CIDR system. The number of cases hospitalised and admitted to ICU described in this report relate only to cases notified during this reporting period, with known hospitalisation/ICU status at the time of reporting.

Regional Departments of Public Health currently prioritise the investigation and reporting of outbreaks in settings that benefit most from public health and clinical intervention. The outbreak data reported here focuses on these key settings/groups. These settings include acute hospitals, nursing homes, community hospital/long-stay units, residential institutions (centres for disabilities, centres for older people, children’s/TUSLA residential centres and mental health facilities) and other healthcare settings.

Population denominator data for analyses of CIDR data on notified, emergency department, hospitalised and ICU cases and deaths are taken from Census 2022.

Sentinel GP surveillance system: This includes 100 participating general practices (located in all HSE Health Regions). These practices report electronically on a weekly basis, the number of patients who consulted with acute respiratory infection (ARI) and influenza-like illness (ILI) (identified using International Classification of Primary Care 2 codes R74 and R80). These practices provide overall and age-stratified denominator data on the number of registered patients who have sought care at the practice during the previous three years. The combined patient population in these practices is estimated to be approximately 10% of the national population. Sentinel GPs take a combined nose and throat swab from the first five patients attending their practice each week who meet the ARI case definition and send these to the NVRL for testing.

GP Out-of-hours (GPOOHs) services: Five out of 14 GPOOHs services provide weekly data on the total and age-stratified number of out of hours calls for 1) all reasons, 2) for self-reported cough and 3) for self-reported flu. The denominator for calculations of percentage of calls is the total number of calls for all reasons.

The HSE Performance Management and Improvement Unit (PMIU) provides daily data on bed occupancy (the number of currents inpatients with laboratory confirmed COVID-19, influenza and RSV).

Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) surveillance system: SARI cases are identified from new admissions through the Emergency Department, based on clinical symptoms. Patients that develop SARI during their admission, or who are admitted through alternate routes, are not included.

National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL): The NVRL routinely test sentinel GP and non-sentinel respiratory specimens for SARS-CoV-2, influenza, RSV and a panel of other seasonal respiratory viruses (ORV). The NVRL report on influenza type/subtype of sentinel GP ARI and non-sentinel respiratory specimens on a weekly basis.

As of 14/10/2024 HPSC has ceased reporting on detections of hMPV from virological surveillance of sentinel and non-sentinel specimens. This is due to an increased risk of false positive results from the routine respiratory panel.

National SARS-CoV-2 Whole Genome Sequencing Surveillance Programme (NSWGSSP): The SARS-CoV-2 sequencing sampling framework currently focuses on notified COVID-19 cases with severe disease (hospitalisation, ICU admission) and deaths, COVID-19 outbreaks in health and care settings, sentinel surveillance programmes in the community and acute hospitals and targeted sequencing based on public health risk assessment/clinical requests and virological changes e.g. new variant of concern. There is typically a lag time of 1-3 weeks between a COVID-19 case being notified, selected for sequencing and SARS-CoV-2 sequencing being completed. Therefore, the proportion of notified COVID-19 cases notified in this time period from whom specimens are ultimately sequenced will be higher than currently reported here. The HPSC link sequencing results received from laboratories to epidemiological data on COVID-19 cases reported on the CIDR system. This report summarises WGS results and epidemiological data for COVID-19 cases that have been sequenced in Ireland since week 40 2023 (specimen dates between 01/10/2023 and 11/01/2025). The SARS-CoV-2 sequencing results included in this report reflect all data available as of 27/01/2025.

National SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance Programme: A detailed description of the process involved for wastewater collection, sampling and analyses is available in the routinely published national SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance programme reports available here


10 Appendix

Appendix Table 1: Notified laboratory confirmed cases of COVID-19, influenza and RSV by age, sex and HSE health region, from week 40 2024, to week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR.

Number of cases (incidence per 100,000 population)

All pathogens

COVID-19

Influenza

RSV

Cases

27,705 (538.1)

3,544 (68.8)

18,618 (361.6)

5,543 (107.6)

Age groups (years)

<1

2,113 (3,656.0)

164 (283.8)

590 (1,020.8)

1,359 (2,351.4)

1-4

4,156 (1,749.0)

95 (40.0)

2,247 (945.6)

1,814 (763.4)

5-14

2,199 (306.7)

51 (7.1)

1,901 (265.2)

247 (34.5)

15-44

4,917 (237.9)

494 (23.9)

4,077 (197.2)

346 (16.7)

45-64

4,614 (356.8)

621 (48.0)

3,561 (275.3)

432 (33.4)

65-79

5,018 (843.0)

962 (161.6)

3,388 (569.1)

668 (112.2)

>80

4,684 (2,587.5)

1,156 (638.6)

2,851 (1,574.9)

677 (374.0)

Median age (IQR)

47 (6-74)

72 (48-83)

47 (14-72)

3 (1-63)

Sex

Male

13,165 (517.4)

1,682 (66.1)

8,761 (344.3)

2,722 (107.0)

Female

14,488 (556.2)

1,861 (71.5)

9,818 (376.9)

2,809 (107.8)

HSE Health Regions

Dublin and North East

6,597 (128.1)

808 (68.1)

4463 (376)

1326 (111.7)

Dublin and Midlands

4,932 (95.8)

621 (57.6)

3244 (301)

1067 (99)

Dublin and South East

6,209 (120.6)

863 (88.9)

4307 (443.5)

1039 (107)

South West

3,608 (70.1)

489 (66)

2533 (342)

586 (79.1)

Mid West

2,007 (39)

310 (75)

1438 (348.1)

259 (62.7)

West and North West

4,348 (84.4)

453 (59.6)

2629 (346.1)

1266 (166.7)


Appendix Table 2: Hospitalised laboratory confirmed cases of COVID-19, influenza and RSV by age, sex and HSE health region from week 40 2024 to week 4 2025. Data source: CIDR.

Number of cases (incidence per 100,000 population)

All pathogens

COVID-19

Influenza

RSV

Cases

7,713 (149.8)

1,416 (27.5)

4,457 (86.6)

1,840 (35.7)

Age groups (years)

<1

748 (1,294.2)

62 (107.3)

183 (316.6)

503 (870.3)

1-4

1,293 (544.1)

36 (15.2)

612 (257.6)

645 (271.4)

5-14

620 (86.5)

29 (4.0)

491 (68.5)

100 (13.9)

15-44

711 (34.4)

119 (5.8)

513 (24.8)

79 (3.8)

45-64

1,044 (80.7)

220 (17.0)

716 (55.4)

108 (8.4)

65-79

1,603 (269.3)

411 (69.0)

989 (166.1)

203 (34.1)

>80

1,693 (935.2)

539 (297.7)

952 (525.9)

202 (111.6)

Median age (IQR)

56 (4-78)

75 (58-84)

58 (9-78)

2 (0-57)

Sex

Male

3,833 (150.6)

727 (28.6)

2,183 (85.8)

923 (36.3)

Female

3,875 (148.8)

689 (26.5)

2,270 (87.2)

916 (35.2)

HSE Health Regions

Dublin and North East

944 (18.3)

182 (15.3)

533 (44.9)

229 (19.3)

Dublin and Midlands

1,236 (24)

274 (25.4)

599 (55.6)

363 (33.7)

Dublin and South East

1,679 (32.6)

274 (28.2)

975 (100.4)

430 (44.3)

South West

1,189 (23.1)

244 (32.9)

744 (100.5)

201 (27.1)

Mid West

972 (18.9)

172 (41.6)

648 (156.9)

152 (36.8)

West and North West

1,693 (32.9)

270 (35.5)

958 (126.1)

465 (61.2)


Appendix Table 3: Number and percentage positive Sentinel GP ARI specimens by respiratory virus for week 3 2025, week 4 2025 and the 2024/2025 season. Data source: NVRL.

Week 3 2025 (N = 173)

Week 4 2025 (N = 51)

2024/2025 (N = 2611)

Virus

Total positive

% positive

Total positive

% positive

Total positive

% positive

SARS-CoV-2

4

2.3

0

0.0

75

2.9

Influenza Virus

74

42.8

20

39.2

759

29.1

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

12

6.9

3

5.9

131

5.0

Rhino/enterovirus

10

5.8

4

7.8

422

16.2

Adenovirus

0

0.0

0

0.0

12

0.5

Bocavirus

2

1.2

0

0.0

9

0.3

Parainfluenza virus type 1 (PIV-1)

0

0.0

0

0.0

36

1.4

Parainfluenza virus type 2 (PIV-2)

0

0.0

0

0.0

35

1.3

Parainfluenza virus type 3 (PIV-3)

0

0.0

0

0.0

10

0.4

Parainfluenza virus type 4 (PIV-4)

0

0.0

0

0.0

27

1.0


Appendix Table 4: Number and percentage positive NVRL non-sentinel respiratory specimens by respiratory virus, week 3 2025, week 4 2025 and the 2024/2025 season. Data source: NVRL.

Week 3 2025 (N = 491)

Week 4 2025 (N = 242)

2024/2025 (N = 6058)

Virus

Total positive

% positive

Total positive

% positive

Total positive

% positive

SARS-CoV-2

12

2.4

2

0.8

144

2.4

Influenza Virus

124

25.3

35

14.5

1,750

28.9

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

47

9.6

24

9.9

494

8.2

Rhino/enterovirus

35

7.1

15

6.2

602

9.9

Adenovirus

2

0.4

2

0.8

38

0.6

Bocavirus

3

0.6

0

0.0

37

0.6

Parainfluenza virus type 1 (PIV-1)

2

0.4

0

0.0

51

0.8

Parainfluenza virus type 2 (PIV-2)

1

0.2

4

1.7

45

0.7

Parainfluenza virus type 3 (PIV-3)

1

0.2

0

0.0

9

0.1

Parainfluenza virus type 4 (PIV-4)

0

0.0

0

0.0

45

0.7


Appendix Table 5: Influenza type and sub-type distribution among sentinel GP ARI and non-sentinel respiratory influenza positive specimens for week 3 2025, week 4 2025 and the 2024/2025 season. Data source: NVRL.

Influenza A

Influenza B

Time period

Specimen source

Total influenza positive

Total

A(H1)pdm09

A(H3)

A(not subtyped)

Total

B Victoria

B (upspecified)

Week 3 2025

Sentinel GP ARI

74

51

36

11

4

23

0

23

Non-sentinel respiratory

124

101

77

13

11

23

0

23

Total

198

152

113

24

15

46

0

46

Week 4 2025

Sentinel GP ARI

20

11

11

0

0

9

0

9

Non-sentinel respiratory

35

29

18

9

2

6

0

6

Total

55

40

29

9

2

15

0

15

Season to date

Sentinel GP ARI

759

621

495

62

64

138

0

138

Non-sentinel respiratory

1,750

1,614

1,347

137

130

136

20

116

Total

2,509

2,235

1,842

199

194

274

20

254


Appendix Table 6: RSV type distribution among sentinel GP ARI and non-sentinel respiratory RSV positive specimens for week 3 2025, week 4 2025 and the 2024/2025 season. Data source: NVRL.

Time period

Specimen source

Total RSV positive

RSV A

RSV B

RSV (unspecified)

Week 3 2025

Sentinel GP ARI

12

2

10

0

Non-sentinel respiratory

47

15

31

1

Total

59

17

41

1

Week 4 2025

Sentinel GP ARI

3

2

1

0

Non-sentinel respiratory

24

9

15

0

Total

27

11

16

0

Season to date

Sentinel GP ARI

131

63

68

0

Non-sentinel respiratory

494

232

261

1

Total

625

295

329

1