Influenza Update N° 497

Overview

^{Published 16 October 2024 | For reporting Week 40, ending 06 October 2024}

Influenza

• In the Northern hemisphere, influenza activity in temperate countries remained at interepidemic levels. Activity was elevated in Western and Middle Africa(due primarily to A(H3N2) and B viruses), Western Asia (mostly from A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses), Southern Asia (mostly from A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses), South East Asia (mostly from A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses) and Central America and the Caribbean (mostly from A(H3N2) viruses). Activity increased in countries in Western and Middle Africa and Central America.
• In the Southern hemisphere, influenza activity remained elevated in some countries in South America (due to B viruses) and Eastern Africa (due to A and B viruses). Increased activity was reported in one country in Tropical South America.

 

SARS-CoV-2

• SARS-CoV-2 activity remained elevated in many countries in Europe and parts of Eastern Asia. Increased activity was reported in some countries in Europe but declined or similar in all other reporting countries.

WHO encourages countries, especially those that have received the multiplex influenza and SARS-CoV-2 reagent kits from GISRS, to conduct integrated surveillance of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 and report epidemiological and laboratory information in a timely manner to established regional and global platforms. The guidance can be found here https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-2019-nCoV-integrated_sentinel_surveillance-2022.1.