Influenza

Surveillance and monitoring

Members of Health brigade, distribute information leaflets to a family and look for symptoms of influenza H1N1.
WHO/Harold Ruiz

The influenza surveillance and monitoring activity collects and analyzes virological and epidemiological data from countries, areas and territories around the world. WHO relies on the willing participation of countries to share their influenza surveillance data.
The open and transparent sharing of influenza monitoring data by participating countries allows WHO to:

  • provide countries, areas and territories with information about influenza transmission in other parts of the world to allow national policy makers to better prepare for upcoming seasons;
  • provide data for decision making regarding recommendations for vaccination and treatment;
  • describe critical features of influenza epidemiology including risk groups, transmission characteristics, and impact;
  • monitor global trends in influenza transmission; and
  • inform the selection of influenza strains for vaccine production.

WHO Global Interim Epidemiological Surveillance Standards for Influenza


Influenza update

The summaries of global surveillance are based on data gathered through global and regional data sharing platforms, and direct reports from Member States.

  • Access the latest updates

    - weekly seasonal influenza
    - peer-reviewed literature
    - summary review of the 2012 southern
    hemisphere winter influenza season