COVID, Flu, Bundibugyo Ebolavirus, Plague, H5N1, UK COVID Inquiry and Other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 23rd October 2026

COVID, Flu, Bundibugyo Ebolavirus, Plague, H5N1, UK COVID Inquiry and Other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 23rd October 2026

Flu and COVID in the UK are both still rising, but from a very low start, so flu is baseline and COVID is low. 

In the UK and US the beginning of flu season has arrived earlier than usual. This is a repeat of last year, which turned out to be mild overall, so it’s not necessarily a sign of bad things to come. There is a newish flu strain which may escape past some previous immunity, but so far it's really not possible to say where this will go, but it doesn't seem to be worrying medical folk online. Good idea to get your jabs promptly though... if you can...

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that flu vaccine availability was facing a logjam and there may be some delays. Superdrug last week announced their UK supplies were all designated and they won't be accepting any more bookings. 

Norovirus has had a wild couple of days. This quick onset tummy bug led to a Rhodes to Düsseldorf flight making a 'mass casualty' medical landing on Sunday, with 3 people transported to hospital. That must have been a fun flight. In a different outbreak 95 children were infected at an elementary school in Kansas - I'm not sure which is worse, the kids or the plane...

So that's your reminder - wash your hands often, stay at home if you are ill, and definitely don't cook for anyone else. 

COVID, Flu, Plague, Bundibugyo Ebolavirus, Dengue, H5N1, and Other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 9th October 2026

COVID, Flu, Plague, Bundibugyo Ebolavirus, Dengue, H5N1, and Other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 9th October 2026

COVID levels in the UK continue to rise and a wave  is underway, as was predicted. Levels have been super low since Spring, and you can't have it low forever. In Scotland there is a 121% increase in cases since last week. In Northern Ireland there was an increase in 25/30 areas according to wastewater surveillance (which has been paused this week), but test levels are stable, as they are in Wales. The latest stats show England has more than 10 times as many people infected as 10 weeks ago, up 34% on last week. Hospital admissions in England were a very low 950 in August and 4,939 in September.

Although the trajectory is steep, it must be stressed that this is all from that very low start, so still at low levels, and when people have gone a long time without catching it, and vaccination eligibility is very narrow, it's likely to spread.

There's a bit of talk about 'American COVID' or Stratus variant XFG. Popular in North America over the last couple of years, it's not a new strain, it's not even new to the UK, it just has some small changes. It doesn't appear to be any more severe, but it could have an advantage over some previous immunity - meaning we are even more likely to have high numbers of people catching COVID this Autumn. It also seems more likely to give you a scratchy sore throat, so at least you might sound as ill as you feel and get some sympathy... 

COVID-19 Coronavirus, H5N1, Ebola, West Nile and Other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 25th September 2026

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 25th September 2026

Up until the 11th September 2026, in the UK, the provisional total number of people who have died from COVID was 252,934. This is likely to be an undercount. 

COVID is still on the rise in the UK, Europe, US and elsewhere. Many areas did not have a Spring-Summer wave, so the expected Autumn-Winter wave is likely to be harder than last year as immunity has had more of a chance to wane. In the week to 16th September the UK reported 1,056 confirmed cases (up from 652 a week earlier), 19 deaths (up from 5 a week earlier), and 261 people hospitalised. 

The UK's shortage of nurses is far worse than previously thought, according to a report released this week by the Royal College of Nursing. 

We are short 55,000 registered nurses, double the number of vacancies being advertised. 

Professor Nicola Ranger, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive:

“When you have too few registered nurses, you get longer hospital stays, worse outcomes and more pressure on an already burned out and exhausted workforce."

Don't we know it. The cause appears to be lack of funding, and a lot of folk online are saying that recently qualified nurses are struggling to find positions, despite the urgent need for more staff.

COVID-19, Budibugyo, Measles, Vaccinations, Leptospirosis, Rabies and Other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 11th September 2026

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 11th September 2026

Just before the return to school, COVID figures began to rise from a sustained very low level. That 'uptick' has continued, and if you go by percentage of positive test results (England) and wastewater readings (Scotland) it looks like we have about as many people with COVID now as we did a couple of weeks further on last Autumn This is still 'baseline' and at a very low level, as are flu and RSV. 

COVID-19, H5N1, Bundibugyo Ebola, Measles, Vaccination and Other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 28th August 2026

COVID-19, H5N1, Bundibugyo Ebola, Measles, Vaccination and Other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 28th August 2026

COVID levels are on the rise in the UK, and elsewhere in the Northern hemisphere, however they remain low. They've been low for quite some time, so it's not a surprise we are seeing a rise now, although it would have been even nicer if it had at least waited until the schools were all back and we could have had something to blame it on. 

The US has massive Salmonella outbreaks linked to 14.4 million eggs from Texas and fresh Jalapeño peppers from Mexico. Around 100 people have been hospitalised through both outbreaks. 

Belgium is dealing with it's largest ever salmonella outbreak. Around 2 million eggs have been recalled and 306 people were sick enough to have been tested and confirmed infected. 

If you think you are safe from salmonella in the UK, you usually are - as long as you use Lion Marked eggs from vaccinated UK hens, or cook your eggs thoroughly. The UKHSA has issued a report stating that on 26th May they noticed an increase in Salmonella, and cases had the same lineage (they're genetically related). As of the latest update on 25th August that outbreak numbered 259 confirmed cases and sadly 1 person has died. There are also 2 smaller outbreaks of 38 cases, and 177 cases.

Cases have risen quite dramatically since June, and imported eggs or egg dishes are suspected to be the cause. Around 38% of confirmed cases have been admitted to hospital and at least 2 people developed blood stream infections.

For most people Salmonella is a couple of days with a bad tummy and they won't even see a doctor. It's not pleasant, but usually resolves without treatment. If you cannot keep water down, are ill for more than 3 days or are especially vulnerable (frail or already ill, very young or old etc), always get advice from your GP.

COVID-19, H5N1 Avian Flu, Measles, Cyclosporiasis, Bundibugyo Ebolavirus and other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 24th July 2026

COVID-19, H5N1 Avian Flu, Measles, Cyclosporiasis, Bundibugyo Ebolavirus and other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 24th July 2026

Firstly, please let me thank the NHS and all who work in her, with her and for her. And thank you to all of you who wished us well too. Just 7 months after being rushed to hospital as a very sick emergency patient, my youngest son had his heart surgery last week at Glasgow Children's hospital. It was as good an experience as you could ever hope for, the staff are all just awesome there, and my son is currently fit, well, happy, off his medications and already kicking his football around the garden. Modern science and medicine shouldn’t be confused for magic or miracles, but by crikey, I'm feeling like I just experienced both. Huge thanks to Dr Karen McLeod and her team, and all in Children's Cardiology. 

COVID-19, Bundibugyo Ebolavirus, mRNA Vaccinations, Measles, NHS and other Health and Virus UK and World News Update 10th July 2026

COVID-19, Bundibugyo Ebolavirus, mRNA Vaccinations, Measles, NHS and other Health and Virus UK and World News Update 10th July 2026

Resident doctors in England have voted to accept the new government pay offer - with 53% voting in favour. Yeeeeay! 

This ends 3 years of strikes and discontent.

Basic pay starting salaries will be just over £40,000, rising to £76,500 for the most senior positions - with faster pay progression.  Necessary out-of-pocket expenses such as exam fees will be covered and there will be more training jobs - 4,500 extra places have been promised for newly qualified doctors.

"Senior doctors in England who are members of the BMA have voted for industrial action over pay. 76 per cent of consultants voting were in favour on a 52 per cent turnout. Specialist (SAS) doctors were in favour but didn’t hit the 50 per cent turnout threshold."

Hugh Pym, BBC Health Editor.

The English Government finally manages to make one group of (resident) doctors happy, and, somewhat unsurprisingly, along comes another disgruntled cohort. 

COVID-19, Bundibugyo Ebolavirus, Vaccination, Andes Hantavirus, Measles and other Health and Virus UK and World News Update 26th June 2026

COVID-19, Bundibugyo Ebolavirus, Vaccination, Andes Hantavirus, Measles and other Health and Virus UK and World News Update 26th June 2026

This week's extreme heat has been disastrous for the UK's overstretched NHS. A&E departments received far more patients than any normal week, IT systems went down, MRI machines refused to work, servers overheated, non-essential electricals had to be turned off, machines for treating cancer patients decided it was not happening, ambulance staff responded to the largest number of category 1 incidents ever, and melting staff on very little sleep had to work in sweltering Victorian buildings or wards with broken aircon, and cover for staff who couldn't come in because schools were shut. 

Several NHS hospitals declared critical incidents on Thursday and shut down non-emergency appointments or admissions. 

Fun times. 

Good news. Resident doctors in England cancelled this week's strikes. The British Medical Association (BMA) says that the UK Government made a new last minute offer which is interesting enough to be put to the vote. Fingers crossed everybody. 

COVID-19, Bundibugyo Ebolavirus, Vaccination, Meningitis, Hantavirus, Measles and other Health and Virus UK and World News Update 12th June 2026

COVID-19, Ebola, Hantavirus, Measles and other Health and Virus UK and World News Update 12th June 2026

Analysis published by the Royal College of Em
ergency Medicine (RCEM) estimates that in England in 2025 there were 15,860 excess deaths due to long waits in A&E.

This is down almost 800 on 2024 when it was 16,644, but still almost 10 times what it was in 2015 (1,657), and frankly heartbreaking. It equates to 300 people a week dying when they should have survived.

Risk of death began to rise after 5 hours waiting, becoming increasingly worse. After an 8-12 hour wait, there is one excess death for every 72 patients. 

In 2025: "1,688,555 patients waited 12 hours or more to be admitted, discharged or transferred from major Emergency Departments. Of these patients, 1,141,944 were waiting to be admitted to a ward for further care".

The RCEM make it clear this is a "conservative estimate", the true numbers could well be higher. They are rightly unhappy that this situation is not being urgently addressed by Government. It requires more hospital beds and staff throughout hospitals. Emergency departments are not going to be able to solve this however hard they keep trying, and they really are trying. 

COVID-19, Bundibugyo Ebolavirus (Ebola), H5N1 (Avian Flu) and Other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 29th May 2026

COVID-19, Bundibugyo Ebolavirus (Ebola), H5N1 (Avian Flu) and Other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 29th May 2026

Ebola later... everything else first... 

Some good news. COVID levels are really low. So low in fact that Scottish COVID levels are at their lowest since 2020 - and that includes wastewater, so it isn't even a result of no-one testing. 

I dunno, I usually end on a high, but I start with a COVID update. I'll remind you again at the end. 

Resident doctors in England will hold their 16th walkout over pay and conditions from 7am on Monday 15th June to 7am Friday 19th June. The BMA says there'll be “more strike dates in July” if no further progress is made.

Seems they get on with the UK's new Health Secretary James Murray as well as they got on with Wes Streeting... 

COVID-19, Measles, H5N1 Avian Flu and Other Health and Virus UK and World News Update 1st May 2026

COVID-19, Measles, H5N1 Avian Flu and Other Health and Virus UK and World News Update 1st May 2026

COVID, flu and other respiratory ailments are at very low levels in the UK, Europe, and the US... ahhh bliss. New variant B.3.2 isn’t doing anything much right now, and certainly isn’t increasing overall cases (although it is a bit harder on young people than other variants). So if you have a cough, sneezes and sore eyes, consider hayfever... 

The cost of getting prescription drugs into the UK continues to rise, and pharmacists are warning it's becoming impossible to get them at the prices the NHS will pay, and some drugs are increasingly hard to get at all.

The NHS list prices are lower than much of Europe, so with shortages due to disruption to flights and shipping channels, plus increases in the price of oil pushing up transportation costs, wholesalers would rather sell any stocks they do have to other countries. 

210 drugs are currently on an NHS concessions list, which means the NHS will pay extra as it knows they're unavailable at NHS list price, but even the concessions list is becoming out of date and pharmacists are having to pay the shortfall out of their own money.

The BBC has spoken to pharmacists and one gave an example of someone's epilepsy meds. They didn’t even have the whole prescription, yet what they could give left them £9 out of pocket.

This is not a situation that can carry on for long, and it will kill people.

COVID-19, COVID Inquiry, Measles and Other Health and Virus UK and World News Update 17th April 2026

COVID-19, COVID Inquiry, Measles, Avian Flu and Other Health and Virus UK and World News Update 17th April 2026

Hello! Welcome back, glad you didn’t forget me. I hope you had a fabulous Easter, with a break! I had Easter and late Christmas, saw most of my family (boo to broken windscreens!) and it was epic. Back to it... 

UK NHS waiting lists fell by another 20,000 in February, for a total reduction of almost 300,000 since Labour were elected, and lists are now at the lowest levels since 2023. Credit where it's due, not all of those 300,000 died waiting, and hopefully they weren't all just shipped off to private companies to have the work done at twice the price, so well done and thank you to the NHS staff who made it happen. 

UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting also informs us A&E performance is the best in 4 years, ambulance response times are the best in 5 years, and record numbers of people are receiving cancer diagnosis or the all-clear within 28 days. This is very good news, well done, keep improving. 

COVID-19, COVID Inquiry, Meningitis, Measles and Other Health and Virus UK and World News Update 20th March 2026

COVID-19, COVID Inquiry, Meningitis, Measles and Other Health and Virus UK and World News Update 20th March 2026

8th March was the UK's National COVID-19 Day of Reflection

As per latest data on the day, up to 20th February 2026, the UK had officially lost 232,489 people to COVID. They all had friends, relatives, carers, neighbours. People who will miss them.

In early 2021 the UK lost up to 8,000 people to COVID a week. That figure has come down and continues to drop, and COVID testing is not what it once was, but even now we officially lose around 40-150 people every week to COVID. I am sorry to everyone who has lost someone. 

Shall we start with the obvious? There has been an outbreak of Meningitis B centred around a nightclub event mainly attended by students from University of Kent and local sixth forms in Canterbury, UK. This has now been declared a 'national emergency' and an 'urgent public health alert' has been issued, asking doctors to be on the lookout for symptoms.  

As of 12.30pm yesterday there are a total of 29 known cases (18 confirmed, 11 suspected). 2 young people have died. One was a University of Kent student and the other a year 13 secondary school pupil. At least 4 schools have confirmed cases, as does Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU). At least 11 of the patients attended Chemistry Nightclub over the weekend of 5th, 6th, 7th March. 

Several thousand contacts have already been given antibiotics as a precaution. All contacts (including club-goers, 6th form pupils, uni students) are also being offered a Meningitis B vaccination, including around 5,000 students who live in Kent University halls of residence.

COVID-19, Measles, HPAI H5N1 Avian Flu, Vaccinations and Other UK and World Virus and Health News Update 6th March 2026

COVID-19, Measles, HPAI H5N1 Avian Flu, Vaccinations and Other UK and World Virus and Health News Update 6th March 2026

Finally Norovirus in the UK is beginning to drop. This will no doubt be especially good news to anyone who has managed to catch it 2 or 3 times. Flu and RSV are at baseline levels, as is COVID, which is dropping fast. Children have had a disproportionately high number of recent COVID hospitalisations. I'm not entirely sure what happened there, but glad to see it correcting itself.

COVID-19, Coronavirus, H5N1 Avian Flu, Measles, Vaccination and Other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 6th February 2026

COVID-19, Coronavirus, H5N1 Avian Flu, Measles, Vaccination and Other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 6th February 2026

On 30th January it was 6 years since WHO declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

What a rollercoaster it's been. 

Good news from UK viruswatch. Flu, COVID and RSV are all at low levels. 

There always has to be one that ruins it, and Norovirus is still at high levels, especially among people aged 65 and over.

COVID-19, Flu, HPAI H5N1 Avian Flu, Measles, Norovirus, Vaccinations and Other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 23rd January 2026

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.

COVID-19, Flu, H5N1 Avian Flu, Measles, Vaccinations and other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 9th January 2025

COVID-19, Flu, H5N1 Avian Flu, Measles, Vaccinations and other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 9th January 2025

Hello, I'm back! Happy New Year! I hope your festivities were good ones, ours were great. We got to spend time with 5 of our 6 kids, plus the Grandparents, which was a treat indeed. It's been 4 weeks since the last update and thankfully it's been fairly quiet, but I shall start with something very much personal...

A few days after my last post, my strong, fit and healthy 15 year old became suddenly very unwell. We had swift advice from our GP, a visit to Stranraer A&E, a 90 mile blue light ambulance trip to Glasgow Children's Hospital, a night in the Paediatric ICU and a 2 day stay in the cardiac ward. We also got a diagnosis of a congenital heart condition which we were completely unaware of before, and my son home and safe. 

What was a terrifying experience was made so much easier by every single NHS and hospital employee we encountered. They were amazing. We were all treated with great care, nothing was an inconvenience. Everything was clearly explained and my son was remarkably calm the whole time, even when in a lot of pain and when told his sensible next step is heart surgery. If I live to be 100, I could not thank you all enough.

On my partner's 2 hour drive back from bringing toothbrushes and clean clothes up to Glasgow our car broke, so I also have gratitude to the garage, who fit in a repair 3 days before Christmas. 

So this is me, repeating my heartfelt (and in honesty teary) thanks to ALL of the vital essential workers who keep our loved ones alive and our world turning, often on low wages and with long unsocial hours, and over Christmas and other holidays. You are seen, and you really are valued. Thank you all of you. 

I also want to once again reiterate just how valuable our NHS is.

In the US I wouldn't just have my son's health to worry about, the ambulance alone could have cost us over £10,000, on top of insurance. At one point, at 11pm at night, my son had 5 consultants, 2 doctors and 2 nurses attending to him. He got the very, very best of care, and he is home and well. 

I say it at the end of every single post. Save The NHS.

COVID-19, Flu, RSV, Norovirus, H5N1 Avian Flu and Other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 12th December 2025

COVID-19, Flu, RSV, Norovirus, H5N1 Avian Flu and Other Virus and Health UK and World News Update 12th December 2025

Shall we start with the huge elephant sitting in the centre of the room? My genuine commiserations to anyone who has flu right now... 

By crikey UK flu is making the news worldwide. It's not good, but ignore anything with three exclamation marks!!! and sit yourself down (preferably beside an open window)...

Better than the headlines suggest:

- Some schools are closed to create a firebreak and stem transmissions, and in some cases for a deep clean. This happens, it just doesn’t often make the national news.

- The rates in England at 1,717 patients in a hospital bed each day 2 weeks ago (including 69 in critical care) are a massive 7 times as high as the same point in 2023 (average 243 flu patients a day), but actually only 1.6 times as high as the same week last year (2024 average 1,098 and 39 in critical care). It's bad, but 2023 was a low year, so not a fair comparison. 

- Flu arrived early, and although it's at record-breaking and eye-watering levels FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR, with doubling and tripling of hospitalisations week on week, so far it's actually tracking a pretty normal pattern (albeit a month early). Even the UK HSA bulletin says "medium levels". Obviously medical bosses try to plan ahead, so staffing levels and 'free' beds, planned procedures, etc are out of sync, causing extra pressure. 

- As I've previously reported, the human Flu A(H3N2) which we were expecting has mutated or 'drifted' into 'Variant K', which is likely to creep past existing immunity for more people, and means our vaccination isn’t a perfect match. An 'H3N2 year' does tend to create more cases and we've not had one for a couple of years, so immunity is waning a bit, but it is NOT a new flu. 

- We could see more people ill and therefore more people hospitalised, but all evidence suggests Variant K A(H3N2) is NOT more severe or more deadly. Folk aren't dropping like flies, this is NOT an horrendously deadly new superflu.

Honest headlines:

- Australia and some Asian countries had a very long flu season, so while hospitals were not necessarily overwhelmed, numbers for the whole season were much higher (2 weeks ago Australia were still recording confirmed cases, with 441,000 at that point, compared to 363,000 in 2024 and 289,000 in 2023). The long season could be partly because Variant K arrived and kept it going for longer, maybe...

- We are still seeing large number of schoolchildren with flu in the UK, while infections are spreading through older populations, so our 'wave' could be moving more slowly, but only time will answer that. 

- On Tuesday Royal Stoke University Hospital and County Hospital in Stafford declared critical incidents due to sustained high demand, including flu patients. 

On Wednesday a critical incident was declared at 4 more West Midlands hospitals - Good Hope, Heartlands and Queen Elizabeth hospitals in Birmingham, and Solihull Hospital - due to "exceptional" numbers of flu patients.

This is not new. It's demoralising and it's not good, but it’s not unusual when flu levels are high. 

- Latest figures for flu patients in hospital, hospital visits, ambulance requests, GP visits, flu tests are all somewhat obviously, and somewhat normally, soaring. Last week an average 2,660 people were in hospital with flu in England alone every day. Public Health Scotland say the situation isn’t quite as bad, however they had an average 986 flu hospital admissions this week.

My twopenneth:

- It is too early to say if flu will keep rising, carry on for weeks, or just peak and tail off. At this point no-one can declare this an exceptionally bad year, especially not an AI writing clickbait headlines for a national newspaper. That said, it's not started well, so the potential exists. 

- Call me a cynic, and we never want to overwhelm the NHS, but the Government want to stop the resident doctor's strikes. A lot of these headlines are dramatic and scary, they make people feel worried, and it works in the Government's favour.

COVID-19, Flu, H5N1 Avian Flu and Other Virus UK and World News Update 28th November 2025

COVID-19, Flu, H5N1 Avian Flu and Other Virus UK and World News Update 28th November 2025

Norovirus cases are on a downward slope in the UK. One down, one up. RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) season is upon us. This is a common virus most people hardly notice. RSV feels like a chesty cold, but can cause pneumonia in people who are less robust, and Bronchiolitis in little ones, which is the leading cause of infant mortality. If you have a chesty cold or are otherwise ill, don't visit Grandma, or friends and family with babies, and definitely don't visit anyone in hospital. 

The UK HSA weekly winter surveillance report shows that although we had an early start to flu season, it's a fairly 'normal' flu season. Cases are rising, but not leaping. Their wording:

- Flu activity has increased this week following a dip in recent weeks. Outbreaks in care homes and schools have also increased.

- RSV has increased and is circulating at low to medium levels across indicators.

- COVID-19 activity has decreased across most indicators and is circulating at baseline levels.

COVID-19, Flu, Measles, H5N1 Avian Flu and other virus UK Health and World News Update 31st October 2025

COVID-19, Flu, Measles,  and other virus UK Health and World News Update 31st October 2025

Happy Halloween! 

"If you mean was Covid a disaster? Yes.

Was the loss of education a disaster? Yes.

Was the loss of exams a disaster? Yes.

Was the disappointment, anger, frustration of a large number of kids - the additional frustration - a disaster? Yes it was.

"But it has to be seen in the context of us trying to deal with a much, much bigger disaster"

Boris Johnson, ex- UK PM at the UK COVID Inquiry, with possibly the clearest thing he's ever said. 

The UK's early Autumn COVID wave has ended. Hurrah! Activity has "decreased and is now circulating at baseline levels" according to the UK HSA. Good job really, as flu is hitting pretty hard, and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus, which causes coughs and sometimes pneumonia and bronchiolitis) is showing 'mixed activity'.