Summary

The laboratory-based surveillance for influenza and common respiratory viruses is carried out all-year-around by the NZ virus laboratory network consisting of the WHO National Influenza Centre (NIC) at ESR and six hospital laboratories in Auckland (2), Waikato, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. This laboratory network tests specimens ordered by clinicians for hospital inpatients and outpatients during normal clinical practice (serving ~70% of the NZ population). In addition, this laboratory network also conducts testing for public health surveillance, including SARI, ILI and WellKiwis (i.e. SHIVERS) cohort surveillance.