Influenza and Covid cases and deaths

Summary

The requester asked for total cases, deaths, and recoveries for Covid-19 and Influenza over the last five years. The Department of Health and Social Care stated it does not hold the requested influenza statistics, citing a practical refusal, but provided limited hospital admission data for Nobles Hospital while directing the requester to the Cabinet Office for official mortality and disease statistics.

Key Facts

• The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold the requested influenza case, death, or recovery statistics for the period 01/04/2015 to 31/03/2020.
• Public Health, part of the Cabinet Office, is the authority that collects notifiable communicable disease and mortality statistics for the Isle of Man.
• Nobles Hospital recorded 138 patient spells with influenza-related ICD-10 diagnosis codes during the specified period.
• Of the 138 hospital patients, 4 had a discharge outcome of 'Patient died', though this does not confirm influenza as the cause of death.
• The response was issued on 13th July 2020 regarding a request received on 9th June 2020.

Data Disclosed

• 138
• 4
• 134
• 132
• 2
• 01/04/2015
• 31/03/2020
• 13th July 2020
• 9th June 2020
• 1324811

Exemptions Cited

• Section 11(3)a of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Practical refusal: information not held or cannot be found after reasonable steps)

Original Request

I would like to know of the number of cases of Covid-19 has had (Total Cases, deaths and recovered). I would also like to know the number of cases of Influenza has had for the same time period (Total Cases, deaths and recovered), plus the same criteria for the last 5 years.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Interim Chief Executive: Kathryn Magson Freedom of Information Team Crookall House Demesne Road Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3QA

Tel: (01624) 642621 Email: dhsc@foi.gov.im Website: www.gov.im/dhsc Our ref: 1324811 13th July 2020

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on the 9th June 2020 and states:

"I would like to know of the number of cases of Covid-19 has had (Total Cases, deaths and recovered). I would also like to know the number of cases of Influenza has had for the same time period (Total Cases, deaths and recovered), plus the same criteria for the last 5 years.” For the period 01/04/2015 to 31/03/2020: Question 1: How many cases of influenza (all strains) have there been on the island? While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Department of Health and Social Care (“the Department”) is unable to provide the information you have requested. This is in line with section 11(3)a of the Act, as a practical refusal reason applies; namely we do not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. However, you may find it helpful to know that Public Health collect notifiable communicable disease statistics for the population of the Isle of Man. This Government Division forms part of the Cabinet Office. Therefore, you may wish to contact the Cabinet Office with your request who may be able to help you. You also may find it helpful to know that in Nobles Hospital there have been 138 patient spells, where one of these episodes have been recorded with one of the below Influenza related International Classification of Disease (ICD-10) diagnosis codes. (Please see table below).

Question 2: How many confirmed deaths from influenza (all strains) on the island? While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Department of Health and Social Care (“the Department”) is unable to provide the information you have requested. This is in line with section 11(3)a of the Act, as a practical refusal reason applies; namely we do not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. However, you may find it helpful to know that Public Health collect mortality statistics for the population of the Isle of Man. This Government Division forms part of the Cabinet Office. Therefore, you may wish to contact the Cabinet Office with your request who may be able to help you. You also may find it helpful to know that in Nobles Hospital, of the 138 patients referred to in question 1, 4 patients have a discharge outcome of “Patient died”. However, this statistic does not determine the actual cause of death, therefore, this does not imply that Influenza was the cause of death for these patients. Question 3: How many people have recovered from influenza (all strains) on the island? While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Department of Health and Social Care (“the Department”) is unable to provide the information you have requested. This is in line with section 11(3)a of the Act, as a practical refusal reason applies; namely we do not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. However, you may find it helpful to know that in Nobles Hospital of the remaining 134 patients referred to in question 1, the statistics provided determine that 132 patients were “Discharged on medical advice” and 2 patients were “Transferred out of district”. This does not determine if a patient has fully recovered from their influenza related ICD-10 diagnosis. Please quote the reference number 1324811 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely