Pensioners continue to get their flu vaccines at a much greater rate than others, according to the first weekly flu report of the winter in the UK.
The Health Protection Agency report shows that so far some 17% of pensioners have undergone flu vaccination.
This compares with 6.9% of pregnant women and 9.6% of those under the age of 65 in risk groups.
So far one person has needed intensive care treatment for influenza, the figures show.
The HPA says there have been four outbreaks of respiratory disease reported in England and Northern Ireland – but just two specimens have so far tested positive for flu.
The HPA’s head of seasonal flu surveillance Dr Richard Pebody said: "The 2011/2012 flu season was one of the lowest on record – following two years of high flu activity, including the 2009 flu pandemic. This demonstrates how unpredictable the flu season can be.
"For the majority of people, flu is an unpleasant, but not life-threatening illness. But it can be dangerous for certain groups in the population, such as the elderly, those with underlying health conditions and those who have a weakened immune system, as well as pregnant women."
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