Influenza Update N° 501

Overview

^{Published 14 November 2024 | For reporting Week 44, ending 03 November 2024}

Influenza

• In the Northern hemisphere, influenza activity in temperate countries remained at interepidemic levels. Elevated activity was noted in Western Africa (due to B viruses), Middle Africa (due to A(H3N2)), Western Asia (due to A(H1N1)pdm09), Southern Asia (due to A(H1N1)pdm09 and B viruses), South East Asia (due to A viruses), and Central America (due to A(H3N2)). Activity increased in one Western Asian country but remained similar or declined elsewhere.
• In the Southern hemisphere, influenza activity was elevated in one country in South America (due mostly to B viruses), in Eastern Africa (due to A(H1N1)pdm09 and B viruses), and in the geographic sub-region of Oceania, Melanesia, and Polynesia (due mostly to A(H3N2) viruses). Activity was similar or declined in most reporting countries but increased in single countries in Tropical South America and Melanesia.

 

SARS-CoV-2

• SARS-CoV-2 activity remained elevated in many countries in Europe, in North America, and in a few countries in Eastern Africa and South East Asia. Increased activity was reported from one country in Europe, Middle and Eastern Africa, Eastern Asia, and South East Asia, but declined or was 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.