Descriptive comparison reveals continued co-circulation of COVID-19 and influenza in Asia-Pacific, indicating the need for better surveillance.
Reduced COVID-19 surveillance and control measures have contributed to perceptions of diminished disease severity. To contextualise post-pandemic regional activity in Asia-Pacific, publicly available COVID-19 and influenza data were reviewed across Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore (July 2024–June 2025) and Taiwan (September 2024–June 2025). National and sentinel systems reporting laboratory-confirmed infections, hospitalisations, severe or fatal cases were identified. Annual counts were summarised using country-specific definitions. Surveillance approaches and indicators varied across jurisdictions and pathogens; results are presented descriptively. Across settings, both viruses were associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. COVID-19 mortality exceeded influenza in Australia (2981 vs 1041), and hospitalisations were higher in Korea (11,786 vs 8740). In Hong Kong, severe and fatal influenza cases exceeded COVID-19(899 vs 468), despite similar case counts (13,941 vs 14,977). Japan, Singapore and Taiwan showed comparable activity. Results indicate continued co-circulation of COVID-19 and influenza. Harmonised surveillance and definitions are needed to improve disease monitoring and guide prevention strategies.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Clarke et al. (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: