COVID-19, Flu, HPAI H5N1 Avian Flu, Measles, Norovirus, Vaccinations and Other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 23rd January 2026
Good news to start with, flu levels in the UK are still dropping, so while there is still pressure on some hospitals, it could be far worse, and still no sign of that supermegacatastrophicflu the media said we'd be expecting. England had an average 2,519 patients in hospital with flu each day last week, compared to 2,725 the week before (it was 3,833 for the same week last year). COVID continues to circulate at baseline levels and RSV activity decreased slightly, also circulating at low levels.
It's not all fabulous news. Oh Norovirus, how we love you... Sadly Norovirus is having a party. 3 weeks ago England had an average 361 Norovirus hospital in-patients each day, 2 weeks ago it was around 600, and last week it was almost 1,000.
Some areas aren't really suffering, while others have heck of a lot of cases. Worst affected areas include Hull, Hampshire, Somerset, the Wirral, Bolton, Bristol, Sussex, York.
Most people with Norovirus will be a couple of lbs lighter but fine in 2-3 days, but some people will get very poorly, including if they can't rehydrate easily. Diarrhoea is a leading cause of death worldwide, and has been since humans were invented.
If you cannot rehydrate yourself or someone else, get medical advice. Ice lollies and ice cubes can sometimes work if people cannot keep drinks down.
If you have sickness and/or diarrhoea stay at home and do not cook for other people until at least 48 hours after your last unpleasantness. No school, no nursery, no visiting, especially not new babies, Grandma or hospital patients, and no going to work or anywhere else unless you absolutely cannot avoid it. Wash hands and surfaces (door handles, toilet flush, sinks etc) regularly with soap. Norovirus is not killed by antibacterial hand gels.
Last week at least 10 UK hospital trusts in England declared critical incidents due to overwhelming numbers of patients with flu and other Winter bugs, combined with staff sickness.
They included Royal Surrey, Epsom and St Helier, Surrey and Sussex, East Kent, Nottingham, Sherwood Forest.
Several hospitals had to cancel or postpone surgeries and other planned treatments.
This is ridiculously regular now, and just highlights a system which is underfunded, understaffed, and has absolutely no room for manoeuvre.
A rare glimmer of good news for Americans too, as flu levels there are thankfully decreasing, although remain at high levels, with 36 jurisdictions high or very high. There have been 32 reported paediatric deaths this season already.
Some excellent news. A Spanish study published in The Lancet last week found that giving almost all infants the RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) vaccination cuts hospitalisations for RSV by up to 86% - and the effect was still evident the following year after immunisation.
RSV is the leading cause of infants being admitted to hospital in many Western countries, including the UK and US. It can cause chest infections including bronchiolitis, bronchitis and pneumonia.
A separate Italian study also published last week found universal RSV vaccination reduced ER/A&E visits for infants with respiratory problems by 42.7% (includes diagnosed RSV, asthma, wheezing etc).
A new Danish study published this week in Obstetrics and Gynaecology shows that if you are pregnant when you catch COVID you have a greater risk of Long COVID.
The researchers invited every person who tested positive during pregnancy in 2020-2021 to complete a questionnaire. 1,927 people responded, and 636 (69.1%) experienced a symptom of post-COVID-19 condition at any given time after SARS-CoV-2 infection, with 465 (50.1%) having at least one symptom for 8 weeks or more.
Research from a similar time showed that in the whole population 43% of people reported Long COVID, and in non-hospitalised people that was 34%.
Now obviously this uses 'self-reporting' and people who didn’t suffer Long COVID may be less likely to fill in the forms, but that's true for most Long COVID studies and it's a significant difference, and it was the same whenever during the pregnancy infection occurred - so having a new baby isn’t to blame. The most common symptoms were fatigue, a change in the sense of smell and taste, and hair loss. Long COVID was more likely if there were symptoms when the patient had COVID, but beyond that severity of illness didn’t affect likelihood. The researchers suggest pregnant people are supported after illness and not just while they actually have COVID.
Lymphocytes are essential white blood cells which form the human 'adaptive immune system'. There are lots of types, including:
B-cells - release the antibodies, target, impede/neutralise and mark for destruction. Plasma B create the antibodies, Memory B remember what pathogens look like and Regulatory B calm the situation down.
T-cells - 'Helper T' (CD4) coordinate the immune response and 'Cytotoxic' or 'Killer T' (CD8) kill. Memory T recognise pathogens for a long time and Regulatory T calm everyone else down. Natural Killer T influences other cells and controls their immune responses.
NK-cells - Natural Killers. They target, destroy, kill (they don't wait for instructions)
Got that? Good...
COVID is also making the headlines this week because it messes with your immune system. We've been able to see this for years. School attendance is down, sickness is up, everyone is more ill than they used to be. Now we have evidence it isn’t just word of mouth or people being rubbish, it's really, provably, real.
A massive study of 40,000 patients discovered that after COVID infection several parts of the immune system dropped significantly - T cells, CD4, CD8, NK and B cells.
Major findings:
- SARS-CoV-2 causes lasting immune dysregulation for over 20 months.
- The impact of SARS-CoV-2 on lymphocytes was especially severe in patients with cardiovascular disease (72.9% below baseline).
- Lymphocyte deficiency is related to long COVID pathogenesis (occurrence).
- Long-term immune dysregulation of long COVID demands tailored treatment.
The authors' conclusion is:
"Our findings redefine SARS2 infection a condition of long-lasting immune compromise."
Will this change anything? Will anyone in Government anywhere now admit repeatedly catching COVID is making us sicker? Will schools and employers stop blaming kids and employees for taking time off? Will people with Long COVID get tailored treatment to improve the broken areas of their immune system? Probably not...
Equally importantly, how well can we expect to beat cancers, viruses, herpes, Epstein Barr etc. with a huge drop in CD8 Killer T cells?
Still with Long COVID. We've heard before that COVID infection can be linked to dementia. Studies have shown that existing dementia can worsen (sometimes quite dramatically) after COVID infection, and that your risk of developing dementia can increase - this was picked up fairly early on.
A new study published in Science Direct eBioMedicine, and co-funded by the US CDC, has found more evidence behind that.
The researchers studied Long COVID patients and found those who reported central neurological symptoms, including lingering brain fog and loss of taste/smell, were more likely to have increased levels of 'plasma pTau-181'. This is a protein which, in some Alzheimer's and other dementia patients, has been found causing plaque-like build-up in nerve cells in the brain. This disrupts communication and causes memory issues and decline.
We've said it before many, many times. Repeated COVID infection is not good for your health.
Tern on X has put together a list of 36 different things COVID can do which could cause a link between dementia and COVID, including pTau-181.
While this might sound really scary, becoming ill with anything is rarely good for your health. Viruses, bacteria and parasites cause damage, and it isn’t always easy or quick to repair. Be kind to yourself while you recover.
Much better dementia news now. Phew...
If you can't repeat it, it isn’t science. Thankfully this is science. The shingles vaccine reduces your chance of having dementia by 20%. In reality what this means is less time living with dementia, dementia at a later stage in life, or in some cases, avoiding dementia entirely.
3 previous studies found a reduction of 17-20%, so Canadian researchers studied people in Ontario, and then they replicated the results by looking at other Canadian provinces. Their results were the same - a 20% reduction in dementia for shingles vaccinated people aged 70 or older, over the next 5 1/2 years. This is a real world result, a 'natural study' looking at what has happened in real life with the introduction of shingles vaccination.
Ontario introduced the universal shingles vaccine to people of a specific age, so it was easy to make a comparison with people born just a year before, who had almost identical living conditions and healthcare etc. but a lower likelihood of receiving the shingles vaccination.
RFK Jr last week announced mercury will be removed from all US vaccines. Which vaccines have mercury in RFK?
Thimerosal is a preservative, used since the 1930's in the United States in multi-dose vials (vials containing more than one dose) of medicines and vaccines. It prevents growth of bacteria and fungus.
Technically yes, Thimerosal contains mercury, but as an organic compound (an organomercurial), approximately 50% mercury by weight. It is metabolized or degraded in the body to ethylmercury and thiosalicylate. Ethylmercury is a salt, which is rapidly broken down by the body, the half life in blood is just 3 days.
This is entirely different to Methylmercury - which is found in certain kinds of fish. Methylmercury is not rapidly broken down by the body, does build up and can cause brain damage.
It's like comparing the difference between the simple alcohols - Ethanol and Methanol.
Ethanol = drinkable in sensible diluted quantities, breaks down into harmless acetic acid.
Methanol = solvents and fuel, poisonous, breaks down into formaldehyde and can blind or kill.
Now, shall we discuss which vaccinations contain Thimerosal? Well... in the US since 2001 thimerosal has NOT been in any routine childhood vaccinations. It is sometimes in multi-use flu jab vials, which are almost exclusively only used for adults, but that was already being phased out. So the big announcement from RFK Jr really is not much about hardly anything.
The UK phased out Thimerosal in 2003-2005, but did use it with the H1N1 swine flu epidemic vaccinations in 2009-2011 (presumably because rapid rollout of vaccinations was essential and they took what they could get).
Talking of RFK Jr... Despite making his own changes to the childhood vaccination schedule without any help from experts, he sometimes likes to appear as if he's following procedure, so he's added 2 more people to his hand-picked Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). They are both obstetrics and gynaecology professionals who have shown distrust in vaccinations during pregnancy. One of them, Kimberly Biss, says that COVID vaccinations have caused widespread infertility, despite absolutely no sign of this in any study or population figures.
*sigh* The newly installed chair of RFK Jr’s vaccine-sceptical ACIP committee has been on a podcast suggesting the US shouldn't be scared to drop the universal infant polio vaccination, and instead it should be up to parents (who would need to ask for it, and it would come at a cost as soon as it wouldn't be 'recommended by ACIP').
The US has officially eradicated polio, but wastewater testing shows it does creep back in via travellers on the regular. Thankfully because of immunisation it doesn’t spread, but heck, if you really want to give people that 1950's iron lung experience, crack on, don't vaccinate. I mean, what could possibly go wrong?
The US hasn't cleared measles. It may have taken it's fill of victims in Texas, but it's moved on. South Carolina has had more cases in 4 months than the US had over previous decades. On 16th January SC officials reported almost 250 new cases in a single week. Latest figures confirm 88 new cases last week, for a total in the current outbreak of 646. Health officials report 538 people in quarantine and 33 with symptoms in isolation.
The US CDC report that as of yesterday there have been 416 CONFIRMED cases of measles in the US in 2026.
Among all the stories about the US potentially losing it's measles-free status, was a story in The Independent which highlights how only counting official 'confirmed cases' can really skew figures.
Many, many cases go untested by authorities, for a variety of reasons. Some people were undoubtedly embarrassed or didn’t want to go to the doctor, some will have seen no reason because siblings or friends had already been diagnosed. On top it's America, doctors visits and testing carry a fee.
Officially in 2025 there were 2,144 confirmed measles cases across 44 US states.
The biggest outbreak involved Texas, where officially 762 people had measles, most of them in rural Gaines County. However state health officials say that just in March 2025 alone 182 potential measles cases in Gaines County children went unconfirmed, and were never added to the official figures.
HPAI H5N1 Avian Flu appears like it may have calmed down a bit. Let's hope that's true. In the UK in the last week it's been confirmed at a fourth premises near Penicuik, Scottish Borders, a third large commercial premises near York, and in commercial poultry at a second premises and also a backyard flock near Bacton, Mid Suffolk.
A low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) H5 was also confirmed at a large commercial poultry premises near Breckland, Norfolk.
The UK totals for HPAI H5N1 this season (since 1st October 2025) now stand at:
England 72
Scotland 7
Wales 7
Northern Ireland 4
Total 90
The US reports no H5N1 infected cattle herds in the last 30 days, but a pretty big 55 confirmed flocks of domestic birds (17 commercial, 38 backyard).
An early pre-print study (obviously not yet peer-reviewed) published in Nature found a new recombinant H5 (avian flu) vaccine provided effective protection against H5N1 in cats.
It "elicited robust levels of neutralizing antibodies against H5N1 virus and protection against disease, mortality, and infection". The vaccine-elicited immunity significantly reduced virus shedding, limiting spread and disease severity, which the authors note could also reduce the risk of human exposure.
A University of Southern Denmark Hepatitis vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau, part funded by the US CDC, was recently announced. Full details were leaked, the scientific world shook with horror, and despite rapid amendments officials in Guinea-Bissau have now said it never got permission and is suspended or cancelled.
Thanks to Inside Medicine for continued reporting on this. Public pressure can change the world for good.
Background: Guinea-Bissau is rolling out the Hepatitis birth dose for all newborn babies in 2027, and it will be funded by GAVI, the global vaccines initiative, at around $160,000 a year. US Health and Human Services head RFK Jr has recently decided not to automatically recommend the Hepatitis birth dose for all US babies.
The Trial: Was due to take place this year, and a US HHS spokesman defended it by pointing out it allowed additional babies to get the vaccine. Sounds great, right? However...
The Ethics: It was horrific, it would never be allowed in the US, and here's part of why...
- Around 14,000 babies would have taken part, randomly being given the vaccine or not - no placebo. So straightaway the parents would know which group they were in.
- Around 19% of mothers in Guinea-Bissau carry Hepatitis, and 70%-90% of their babies will go on to develop chronic liver disease, and potentially liver cancer. Children in this trial would die, when they could have just been vaccinated.
- Only a random 250 mothers would be tested to see if they are carriers, and their babies vaccinated. It costs pennies, so why not test them all?
- The trial wasn't interested in Hepatitis. They were looking to see who dies or is admitted to hospital within 42 days of vaccination, and some babies would be followed to see who develops eczema by 2 years. They'd also follow a small subset of 500 children for 5 years to see if they developed autism.
This trial was about RFK Jr trying to prove vaccines are bad - with no mention of health and lives saved from actual Hepatitis.
The trial would cost $1.6m - the same as 10 years worth of Hepatitis vaccinations for the babies of Guinea-Bissau. There is more, see Inside Medicine on Substack for the full details.
Not a virus, but the New World Screwworm is relentlessly marching (flying) North through Mexico. As of 20th January no cases have been detected in the United States, but the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, which borders Texas, has reported 8 active animal cases.
The United States Department for Agriculture (USDA) is dispersing 100 MILLION sterile flies each week in Mexico in efforts to halt spread, and they have announced the 'Grand Challenge', with up to $100,000 MILLION available funding to support innovative projects that enhance sterile NWS fly production, and strengthen preparedness and response strategies.
So, if you've got a great idea, now is the time...
Also not a virus, but apparently scabies is on the rise rapidly across Europe, including the UK. Shortages of the medications used to kill it during 2022 may be partly to blame.
Scabies can be hard to diagnose initially, because at first it can appear to be general itching or eczema, and it is a pain in the neck to get rid of. The mites can survive for 2-3 days outside the body - and up to 14 days on/in a body. Humans need to completely cover their body in medicated cream for 12 hours twice, a week apart. All bedding and clothing has to be washed at 60ยบ, or steam cleaned, or bagged for 3 days or until after your second treatment - including sofa cushions, shoes, hats, mats and rugs that have been sat on etc. Scabies is spread by close contact, so it loves student accommodation, prisons, hostels, care homes etc, and if someone doesn’t completely kill all of the parasites first try, it can just spread through everyone again.
Scabies is NOT a sign you aren't clean, it doesn't care, and showering 10 times a day wouldn't stop you catching it.
While we are on delightful human afflictions... Scientists studying the bones of a Columbian who died 5,500 years ago have discovered he had a previously undiscovered branch of the syphilis family tree.
Back then its believed syphilis wasn't just a sexually transmitted disease, it was just as possible the bacteria could have been passed on via other close contact. Previously the oldest syphilis found was a mere 2,000 years old, so this is a very exciting discovery. Scientists estimate the bacteria which evolved into syphilis split off from the main branch more than 13,700 years ago.
Yesterday the US officially quit the World Health Organisation. Donald Trump signed an executive order giving a year's notice on his first day in office, and that time is now up.
The US actually owe the WHO $240 MILLION in fees for 2024 and 2025, although I can't imagine anyone is holding their breath waiting for that bill to be settled. Don't let the door hit you on the way out, and best of luck to all of you real people attempting to live in America.
It's the weekend, and we have a surprise couple of days off, which I think we really need right now. If anyone needs me I'll be mostly lounging on the sofa watching garbage TV with a gigantic puppy beside me and a roaring fire keeping me warm - obviously that will require me to set the fire and walk the puppy, but it's worth it. It's Burn's Night on Sunday, so I will also be cooking veggie haggis (tastes virtually the same according to my meat-eating Scottish partner), neeps and tatties, and then next week I'll be very grateful for the NHS yet again, with a check up at the Children's Hospital in Glasgow for my son. I hope you have a good weekend and do something nice yourself, and brilliant as they are, don't have to use NHS services...Back in 2 weeks...
Use Soap, Wear A Hat, Save The NHS...
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Sources COVID
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/
https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
UK Health Data
UK latest COVID cases UPDATES THURSDAY 4pm
GP surveillance England Primary Care
UK Norovirus weekly update
US CDC respiratory dashboard
Reference pages H5N1
https://bnonews.com/index.php/human-cases-of-h5n1-bird-flu/
https://www.paho.org/en/topics/avian-influenza
https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.html
Measles Sit Rep US CDC
UK cases Measles
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/measles-epidemiology-2023/confirmed-cases-of-measles-in-england-by-month-age-region-and-upper-tier-local-authority-2025
Canada Measles
https://health-infobase.canada.ca/measles-rubella/
Image sources
UKHSA Norovirus image stay home for 48 hours after symptoms end
MMRV image UK HSA
Hand sanitizers don't kill norovirus image UK HSA
UK HSA viruswatch
Text sources
Norovirus England
Norovirus outbreaks in NHS hospitals: see full list | LBC data to 18th January / released 22nd Jan
Latest Norovirus
Fifth NHS trust declares critical incident as winter bugs lead to overwhelming demand | The Independent
Uk NHS trusts critical incidents
Four NHS trusts declare critical incidents over high demand - BBC News
Four NHS trusts declare critical incidents over high demand week 1
US fluview
RSV VACCINATION IS A WINNER
Italy RSV vaccination wins
Spain RSV vaccination wins
UK stats RSV
Post COVID condition and pregnancy
Global incidence of Long COVID 2022
Covid seriously dysregulates or damages the immune system.
International Journal of Infectious Disease lymphocyte analysis of 40K patients across 3 phases: pre-COVID, mass infection, post-COVID. T cells, CD4, CD8, NK, B cells dropped significantly.
‘Our findings redefine SARS2 infection a condition of long-lasting immune compromise.’
Study
Disregulation of immune system Study link
Since 2020 I have been arguing that Covid harms T cells, killers of herpes, ebv, hpv. and now your cd8s are aged a decade. and you have no thymus.
August 2020
More evidence
Post COVID Immune dysregulation precis
What are lymphocytes
Lymphocytes
BBC Bitesize Lymphocytes
Long COVID is a multi-system network problem: persistent antigen/immune dysregulation + gut-barrier dysfunction + microvascular/coagulation + neuroinflammation
Tau brain decline in Long COVID patients
Dementia and Long COVID
Easy read version Tau Alzheimers
Tern on X 36 potential links COVID and Dementia
Shingles vaccination dementia
4th shingles dementia study
Topol
UK THIMEROSAL
Thimerosal CDC
Thimerosal FDA
Methanol vs ethanol
Uk Thimerosal
PDF Source: Alder Hey Children's Hospital Trust
UK Thiomersal / Thimerosal
ACIP head says to stop vaccinations for polio
Acip - polio
SC stats measles
SC measles stats 20th
South Carolina measles outbreak stats week 1
S Carolina over 300 more measles cases
US CDC Measles
Measles undercount - confirmed cases
UK Avian flu sit rep
US Avian flu sit rep
Novel recombinant H5-based vaccine provides effective protection against H5N1 influenza virus in cats | npj Vaccines
Hepatitis vaccination Guinea-Bissau trial
After a massive backlash the Danish researchers make rapid amendments to their trial - sadly still not addressing the major problems.
They may once again reconsider. It really would be easy to simply test all pregnant people and give their babies the birth dose.
Guinea-Bissau Hepatitis vaccine Trial suspended
Trump says Iceland call him Daddy
Trump speech DAVOS
Mark Rutte calls Trump Daddy because he shouted at Iran and Israel
NWS moving North through Mexico
NWS notice
New World Screwworm Grand Challenge
Screwworm 218 miles from US border December 31st 2025
APHIS current Sit Rep NWS
Scabies
Scabies NHS
Scabies US CDC
DNA found in an ancient Colombian skeleton may hold answers to origin of syphilis - ABC News
US set to quit World Health Organization | Reuters
US out of WHO
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