What data to report

Data reporting should continue following the routine weekly reporting of influenza results to FluNet and FluID. Reporting platforms have been adapted to receive COVID-19 data as well as influenza data. If reporting is done via uploading of a file, COVID-19 and influenza data can be included in the same file, with additional variables added to the reporting template to accommodate the COVID-19 data.

For FluNet reporting, where possible, laboratory data should be reported separately by source (sentinel vs non-sentinel) for both influenza and COVID-19. The following variables have been included for COVID-19 in addition to influenza data:

• Number of specimens processed for COVID-19 by the week of specimen collection;
• Number of specimens that test positive for COVID-19 by the week of specimen collection;
• Number of specimens that test negative for COVID-19 by the week of specimen collection;
• Comment field: Please note which specimens are being tested for COVID-19 (e.g. all specimens received for respiratory virus testing or only influenza-negative specimens or a subset of influenza-negative specimens) as this may change over time. The comment field can also be used to indicate the case definition used for sampling (i.e., ILI or SARI) if this information has been included with the sample.

For FluID reporting, in addition to data fields already reported routinely to FluID (including age-group stratification where available) the following variables may be included but not all may apply to every country:

• Number of ILI specimens tested for COVID-19 and number of those positive;
• Number of SARI specimens tested for COVID-19 and number of those positive;
• Number of pneumonia cases tested for COVID-19 and number of those positive;
• Number of ICU admissions tested for COVID-19 and number of those positive;
• Number of deaths tested for COVID-19 and number of those positive;
• Comment field: please note any changes to your case definition, sample collection, or other changes to your routine surveillance.