On Saturday 4th January 2025, the ‘Scottish’ Daily Mail, the ‘Scottish’ Daily Mail and ‘The Scotsman’ are still front-paging a flu ‘surge across Scotland, based on last week’s figures.
Yesterday, Public Health Scotland published the above figures showing, for the week-ending 29th December 2025, showing a massive reduction, from 1 262 to 310, in those being tested for Influenza virus A and in the number of positive test results, from 595 to 148.
All of the other respiratory pathogens, with far smaller numbers, show significant decline in the last week reported.
We won’t see evidence of a continuing trend until 10th January, but the news, as the media like to call it, is my headline above.
As for a ‘crippled NHS‘ (Mail), hospital admissions have increased by 12% in the last week, but this is due to the ‘surge’ in the weeks before that and there is every evidence that NHS Scotland can cope with it. See:
Source:
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
On the BBC News App, the increase in hospital admissions due to ‘flu in England is classified as a Health issue. Catching the same virus in Scotland comes under the heading of “Scotland Politics”.
I’ve asked for an explanation via BBC Complaints.
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Good luck with that.
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Every issue in Scotland is escalated by the BEEB to the political sphere.
There are no head teachers or Directors of Education in Scotland—Just the “SNP government”.
There are no senior hospital administrators or Health Boards in Scotland—just the “SNP government”.
There is no “news”—just FoI stuff from the opposition parties—-who also get a say in “response” to every statement made by the “SNP government”.
No context, no perspective, no fact-checking. This is what passes for public service broadcasting in Scotland—and we pay for it.
It is actually colonial propaganda from Anglo-British nationalists.
gavinochiltree
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The figures quoted in the article refer only to samples taken at GPs – the PHS report notes at the beginning that these numbers are lower due to GP festive closures, but test positivity remains the same – not an indicator of flu ebbing. Lab confirmed flu cases have increased by 83%.
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