Analysis of influenza trend and impact of COVID‐19 in Kezhou, Xinjiang for 8 consecutive years

To study the trend of influenza and the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) in Kezhou, Xinjiang from 2013 to 2020. The data of influenza in Kezhou, Xinjiang from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2020, were collected by the China Influenza Surveillance Information System to study the trend of ILI proportion, the distribution of influenza‐like cases in different age groups, the positive cases and positive rate of influenza, and the trend of different influenza subtypes, and to analyze the impact of COVID‐19 epidemic on influenza. The proportion of ILI in the Xinjiang Kezhou area was mainly children under 15 years old, and children under 5 years old accounted for the largest proportion. The proportion of ILI, the number of influenza‐positive cases, and the influenza‐positive proportion were mainly in winter and spring, especially in December and January each year. At the same time, this study found that the overall trend of H3N2 influenza in this region was on the rise, and the outbreaks in 2018 and 2019 were dominated by novel H1N1 and H3N2, respectively. The trend of influenza in Kezhou, Xinjiang is on the rise, and the prevention and control measures of COVID‐19 have significantly reduced the data of influenza. It is necessary to strengthen the vaccination work and maintain the basic prevention and control measures of respiratory infectious diseases to prevent and control influenza more effectively.