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Virology Down Under

Facts, data, info, expert opinion and a reasonable, occasionally grumpy, voice on viruses: what they are, how they tick and the illnesses they may cause.

Tag: epidemiology

COVID-19 in Australia

Posted onMarch 9, 2020March 9, 202011 Comments

As the cases begin to build up – but are still pretty low with limited community spread having been detected – now is a good time to start watching where Read More …

CategoriesCoronavirus, COVID-19, Pandemic, SARS-CoV-2TagsAustralia, epidemiology

An early look at influenza in the US highlights that the south does not predict the north

Posted onNovember 24, 2019November 24, 20191 Comment

Influenza (flu) hit Australia earlier in 2019 than it had for many years. It reached a very high peak of cases and the flu season lasted for longer than usual. Read More …

CategoriesInfluenzaTagsepidemiology, United States of America

How many common cold viruses in one place, in one season?

Posted onSeptember 2, 2018September 22, 20203 Comments

I was recently asked how many common cold viruses are among us at a given time? The short answer is – dozens!  In the past, I’ve written a few reviews (for Read More …

CategoriesRhinovirusTagscommon cold, epidemiology, genotype, molecular epidemiology, PCR, rhinovirus

Flu is giving Australia a breather….

Posted onAugust 21, 2018August 25, 2018Leave a comment

August is the traditional Australian peak influenza (flu) month. The peak can move around a bit but it usually flu virus party time, followed in size by September. We’re two-thirds of Read More …

CategoriesInfluenzaTagsepidemiology, influenza, lab testing, molecular epidemiology

Minding the gap: looking at numbers early in an outbreak

Posted onAugust 15, 2018August 25, 20182 Comments

The second Ebola virus disease for 2018 continues to unfold in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Nearly two weeks have passed since the official announcement of the outbreak by the Read More …

CategoriesEbola virusTagsControl gap, Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC, Ebola virus, Ebola virus disease, epidemiology, Equateur Province, EVD, Ituri Province, North Kivu Province

Mapping Ebola in the hobbyist zone…

Posted onMay 21, 2018May 22, 201818 Comments

One of the most important parts of an early understanding of the risks attached to an infectious disease outbreak is knowing where it is. Which country? What part of the Read More …

CategoriesEbola virusTagsDemocratic Republic of the Congo, Ebola virus disease, epidemiology, EVD, Maps, WHO

New Ebola virus disease case confirmed in a third DRC health zone

Posted onMay 17, 2018May 17, 2018Leave a comment

UPDATE #1 The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Ministry of Health (MOH) today announced that 1 of 2 suspected EVD cases in the Wangata Health Zone has tested positive for Read More …

CategoriesEbola virusTagsconfirmed, Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC, Ebola virus disease, epidemiology, EVD, spread

SNAPDATE: Ebola virus numbers

Posted onMay 15, 2018Leave a comment

Ebola virus disease (EVD) case numbers are very mobile at this stage. But working with what we have, we can see from the graph below that there has been a Read More …

CategoriesEbola virusTagscase accumulation, Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC, Ebola virus, epidemiology, EVD

Ebola numbers rise a little…

Posted onMay 14, 20181 Comment

According to a new Situation Report from the World Health Organisation,[6] the case numbers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo outbreak are now…. Total suspected+probable+confirmed: 39 This includes: 2 Read More …

CategoriesEbola virusTagsDRC, ebola, Ebola virus disease, epidemiology, EVD, SitRep

Is increased testing at the root of Australia’s biggest ever first quarter of Flu cases…?

Posted onApril 7, 2018June 11, 2019Leave a comment

I’ve seen some media reporting an “early start to the flu season”. Is this true? The short answer is – I don’t know. Let’s explore why I can’t answer my Read More …

CategoriesInfluenzaTagsepidemiology, Flu, influenza, notifications, seasonal influenza

Flu numbers from the US…Peaky McPeakFace

Posted onMarch 3, 2018March 4, 2018Leave a comment

This year’s annual influenza (flu) H3N2 epidemic in the United States (US) has peaked. It’s been a big season in the US and the United Kingdom and in Canada, as it was Read More …

CategoriesInfluenzaTagsepidemic curve, epidemiology, Flu, H3N2, influenza, seasonal influenza, United States of America

Flu may not be peaking even if it looks like it is right now…and here’s why

Posted onFebruary 10, 2018January 12, 20197 Comments

The United State’s (US) influenza (Flu) season looks like it has peaked according to the latest Flu report.[1] And perhaps it has. But the graphs are only as solid as Read More …

CategoriesInfluenzaTagsepidemiology, influenza, lag, reporting, seasonal influenza, United States of America

Where is H7N9 in 2018?

Posted onJanuary 31, 20186 Comments

I’ve been watching avian influenza A(H7N9) virus cases in humans since they popped onto the radar in 2013 (it was among my first blogs, “H7N9 deaths” [1]). So I’m confident when Read More …

CategoriesInfluenzaTagsavian influenza, China, epidemiology, H7N9

A look at public reporting of Flu in Australia…

Posted onSeptember 23, 2017October 27, 20174 Comments

I’ve spent a bit more time in Flu reports this year than past years so I thought I might compare the data that the public can see. There are no Read More …

CategoriesUncategorizedTagsAustralia, epidemiology, Flu, flu season, public data, public health, reporting

Queensland Flu season gives us the cold shoulder…

Posted onSeptember 21, 2017October 27, 20172 Comments

The latest Flu data, fresh from the excellent Epidemiology Research Unit, Communicable Diseases Branch, Queensland Health, shows the usual post-winter spike (shoulder) in Flu cases and the subsequent plunge thanks Read More …

CategoriesUncategorizedTagsepidemiology, Flu, FluA, H3N2, influenza, Queensland

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← Older posts

Recent Posts

  • WHO to new PCR users: read the damned manual! January 23, 2021
  • Putting PCR into real-time January 2, 2021
  • The mechanics of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)…a primer December 28, 2020
  • The Swiss cheese infographic that went viral December 26, 2020
  • Happy Festive Season to all who read this…. December 24, 2020
  • The “false-positive PCR” problem is not a problem November 22, 2020
  • More testing shows more iceberg October 29, 2020
  • Sigh, yes, the ‘COVID virus’ is real October 6, 2020
  • Yes, PCR tests can detect “the COVID virus” August 4, 2020
  • And another thing…on false positives June 29, 2020
  • Rhinovirus rampant or testing triumphant? June 27, 2020
  • We don’t yet know the origin story for SARS-CoV-2 May 4, 2020
  • Kits and reagents and viruses April 12, 2020
  • COVID-19 cases slow a little in Australia March 27, 2020
  • COVID-19 is not a virus, but SARS-CoV-2 is March 21, 2020

All opinions are my own and do not represent medical advice or the views of any institution.

All graphics made by me are free-to-use. Please just cite the particular page, blog and me. A heads-up would be nice, but that can happen later.

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Regular reads…

  • FluTrackers-everything infectious, before it happens
  • Mike Coston’s Avian Flu Diary
  • Crawford Kilian’s infectious disease blog
  • Pathogen perspectives: Ebola and more
  • ProMED mail
  • WHO Disease Outbreak News
  • HealthMap
  • STAT News
  • CIDRAP-timely infectious disease reporting
  • Maia Majumder’s blog
  • Kai Kupferschmidt
  • Martin Enserink
  • EpiRamblings

 

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