Surveillance of influenza in the United Kingdom. Pandemic and interpandemic period.

In the United Kingdom the morbidity surveillance is carried out by the General Practitioner Spotter Practice Schemes (RCGP), the Medical Officers of Schools Association (MOSA) and the Emergency Bed Service. Mortality data is provided weekly by the Office of Population and Censuses and Surveys (OPCS). PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (CDSC) collects all information and publishes the findings weekly in the Communicable Disease Report (CDR). There are 53 Public Health Laboratories situated in all parts of England and Wales. Most of these laboratories provide diagnostic services for influenza, together with many National Health and academic laboratories. A similar service is also available in Scotland.