Respiratory illness in Ireland
The three major respiratory pathogens side by side (influenza, COVID-19 and RSV) in Ireland, based on ECDC ERVISS weekly data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).
Influenza: Low
Low
The source currently reports no meaningful activity (as of 16 Aug 2026).
Data window: Week 33 · Aug 10 – Aug 16 · Source: ECDC (weekly) · Source on seasonal break, next data from week 40
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View the last 8 weeks
In week 33 of 2026, Influenza activity in Ireland is classified as low.
The source reports no meaningful activity across these weeks; a week-over-week percentage would be pure noise here.
The last 8 reported weeks
| Week | Relative | Level | vs prior week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 33 | – | Low | – |
| Week 32 | – | Low | – |
| Week 31 | – | Low | – |
| Week 30 | – | Low | – |
| Week 29 | – | Low | – |
| Week 28 | – | Low | – |
| Week 27 | – | Low | – |
| Week 26 | – | Low | – |
Across these weeks the source reports no meaningful activity, the values sit at the floor of its scale.
Current activity
- InfluenzaLowstableWeek 33Trend: stable · Week 33
- COVID-19LowrisingWeek 33Trend: rising · Week 33
- RSVLowstableWeek 33Trend: stable · Week 33
Situation by pathogen
Influenza, COVID-19 and RSV are all at low activity in Ireland right now. This reads the weekly ECDC publications, most recently Week 33.
InfluenzaDetails
In week 33 of 2026, activity of influenza (seasonal flu) in Ireland is low. The trend, derived from clinical surveillance, is stable. Over a four-week comparison, a clear decline is visible.
COVID-19Details
In week 33 of 2026, activity of COVID-19 in Ireland is low. The trend, derived from clinical surveillance, is rising.
RSVDetails
In week 33 of 2026, activity of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in Ireland is low. The trend, derived from clinical surveillance, is stable.
Data, context and methodology
The current picture for Ireland is built on the European Respiratory Virus Surveillance Summary (ERVISS), published weekly by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) via the ICGP-HSE sentinel GP network is the national public-health authority that feeds ERVISS with sentinel primary care and virology data.
ECDC ERVISS
ERVISS is ECDC's weekly pan-European surveillance summary for influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and RSV. National authorities, in Ireland's case the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) via the ICGP-HSE sentinel GP network, submit harmonised indicators every week, which ECDC publishes in a standardised dataset on Thursdays. Using ERVISS rather than each country's native portal ensures cross-country comparability.
ILI / ARI consultation rates and positivity
the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) via the ICGP-HSE sentinel GP network operates a sentinel network of general practices that report weekly rates of patients consulting for influenza-like illness (ILI) or acute respiratory infection (ARI). A subset of patients is swabbed and tested by reference laboratories, producing pathogen-specific positivity rates for flu, SARS-CoV-2 and RSV.
Why this source
Combining consultation incidence with virological positivity yields a pathogen-specific weekly incidence signal (ILI × positivity / 100). This is the standard European methodology and provides a more robust view than either indicator alone: consultation rates capture illness burden, positivity confirms which pathogen is driving it.
Qualitative classification
The “low”, “moderate” and “high” categories follow seasonal reference values and epidemiological thresholds calibrated to match our classifications for other countries. The ILI × positivity / 100 product is scaled to comparable thresholds using a divisor of 3, which aligns European sentinel peaks with the consultation-equivalent scale used elsewhere. Data refreshes weekly when ECDC publishes the latest ERVISS update, typically on Thursdays.
Source and seasonal pattern by pathogen
- Influenza
- The classification is based on the ECDC ERVISS weekly reports, drawing on data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) via the ICGP-HSE sentinel GP network. Seasonally, infection waves in Ireland typically peak between December and February; activity is usually markedly lower during the summer months.
- COVID-19
- The classification is based on the ECDC ERVISS weekly reports, drawing on COVID-19 surveillance data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) via the ICGP-HSE sentinel GP network. Seasonally, infection waves in Ireland typically peak during winter, with occasional summer waves driven by new variants; activity is usually markedly lower in late spring between waves.
- RSV
- The classification is based on the ECDC ERVISS weekly reports, drawing on RSV surveillance data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) via the ICGP-HSE sentinel GP network. Seasonally, infection waves in Ireland typically peak between December and February; activity is usually markedly lower in spring and summer.
Frequently asked questions
How is overall respiratory-illness activity tracked in Ireland?
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre combines sentinel GP consultations, sentinel-laboratory positivity, hospital and ICU admissions, and variant characterisation at the National Virus Reference Laboratory into a weekly Respiratory Viruses Report covering flu, SARS-CoV-2, and RSV. The same indicators feed ECDC ERVISS. On infectrisk.com we condense this picture into a qualitative low/moderate/high classification.
Did Ireland experience a “tripledemic”?
“Tripledemic” is a media term for the simultaneous winter circulation of flu, COVID-19, and RSV first widely discussed during the 2022–2023 season. Ireland saw clear co-circulation of all three pathogens that winter, with notable pressure on paediatric wards from RSV and on adult critical care from flu and COVID-19. Co-circulation has recurred each winter since, though the relative intensity of each pathogen varies.
Why do respiratory illnesses peak in an Irish winter?
The drivers are consistent across temperate Atlantic Europe. Many respiratory viruses remain stable longer in cold, damp indoor air, and heated indoor environments reduce humidity in ways that weaken airway defence. People mix indoors more during Irish winters, schools amplify transmission among children, and end-of-year gatherings accelerate spread. Immunity to seasonal strains is also typically at its lowest as exposure rises.
How does HPSC decide that activity is “high”?
HPSC uses thresholds derived from historical reference data. Current indicators (sentinel consultations, laboratory positivity, hospitalisations, ICU admissions) are compared against baselines from past non-epidemic weeks and against reference points from severe past seasons. When several indicators cross into elevated ranges at the same time, the weekly Respiratory Viruses Report flags activity as high. Ireland's ERVISS contribution uses the same framework for cross-country comparison.
How does Ireland compare to the UK and other EU countries?
Ireland's winter respiratory burden often tracks closely with the UK given similar climate, travel patterns, and demographic structure, though the UK is reported separately from ERVISS through its own UKHSA channels. Within the EU, Ireland's curve can be read alongside France, the Netherlands, and other western European neighbours through ECDC's dashboards. Lead–lag patterns between Ireland and neighbours are typically a matter of weeks.
More situation reports
Data last refreshed: Aug 31, 2026, 21:07. Update cadence: weekly.
This page is not medical advice and does not replace consultation with a healthcare professional. For specific symptoms, please contact a medical professional.
About this page
Published by Renderei Martin GmbH, Berlin. No commercial interest in individual health recommendations. The app is optionally monetised via a freemium subscription.
Content is based exclusively on the linked official surveillance publications. Medical statements are curated against the guidance of RKI, ECDC and WHO.
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