Ambulance dispatch calls attributable to influenza A and other common respiratory viruses in the Netherlands (2014‐2016)

Abstract Background Ambulance dispatches could be useful for syndromic surveillance of severe respiratory infections. We evaluated whether ambulance dispatch calls of highest urgency reflect the circulation of influenza A virus, influenza B virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinovirus, adenovirus, coronavirus, parainfluenzavirus and human metapneumovirus (hMPV). Methods We analysed calls from four ambulance call centres serving 25% of the population in the Netherlands (2014‐2016). The chief symptom and urgency level is recorded during triage; we restricted our analysis to calls with th... Mehr ...