Health protection situational awareness (HPSA) report
Health Protection Situational Awareness
PHA Health Protection
2026-03-27
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NI Situational Awareness Summary
| Disease/Situation | Trend | Summary | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| COVID-19 | Episodes, positivity, and admissions have decreased. | View report | |
| Influenza | Episodes have decreased while positivity and admissions have remained stable. | View report | |
| RSV | Episodes, positivity, and admissions have decreased. | View report | |
| Trend is selected based on the trajectory of the majority of indicators for a given pathogen | |||
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Horizon Scanning
| Disease/Incident | Location | Situation Overview | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mpox clade I | Global | Clade Ib MPXV started a major outbreak in 2023 in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is undergoing sustained human-to-human transmission in several countries. | View report |
| Mpox clade I & clade II | United Kingdom | Up to 28 February 2026, there has been a total of 34 Clade Ib Mpox cases reported in the UK. From 01 January 2023 to 28 February 2026, a total of 862 cases of Mpox clade IIb reported in the UK. Of these, 798 were in England, 35 were in Scotland, 20 were in Wales, and 9 were in Northern Ireland. | View report |
| Norovirus | Republic of Ireland | There were 104 cases reported in week 11, 2026 representing an decrease from the previous week. Cases remain higher than the same period in previous years. | View report |
| Measles | England | Between 01 January 2026 and 23 March 2026, there were 299 laboratory‑confirmed measles cases reported in England (an increase of 29 since 19 March 2026). Majority of cases (207 of 299, 69%) were in children aged 10 years and under. | View report |
| Invasive meningococcal disease | England | From 13 to 25 March 2026, 22 cases (20 confirmed, 2 probable) of invasive meningococcal disease in the Southeast Region were notified to UKHSA. All of the 20 confirmed cases are meningococcal group B (MenB). Two deaths are associated with this cluster with one case identified as a student at the University of Kent. | View report |
| Dengue | Maldives | In 2026 to 20 March, four EU/EEA countries have reported at least 46 imported dengue cases linked to travellers returning from the Maldives. The Maldives is reporting an unusual increase in the number of dengue cases, with 631 confirmed cases notified during January 2026, compared to 72 in January 2025, and 138 in January 2024. | View report |
| Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome | Taiwan | On 17 March 2026, a case of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) in Taiwan, was reported in an individual in their 70s, with no history of travel. This is the third case ever reported in Taiwan with previous cases in 2019 and 2022. An environmental investigation on 12 March 2026 found ticks outside the case's home. | View report |
| Bacillus cereus (cereulide toxin) | Global | Products have been identified and recalled from 99 countries and territories since 10 December 2025. Initial investigations identified arachidonic acid oil as the source of contamination. The current likelihood of exposure is considered low. Since 10 December 2025, and as of 25 February 2026, 144 suspected and confirmed cases were reported across 10 countries. | View report |
The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of selected surveillance metrics in the form of a situational awareness summary. Horizon scanning provides information on emerging situations that can impact public health including local, national and global events.