Influenza Update N° 506

Overview

^{Published 18 December 2024 | For reporting Week 49, ending 08 December 2024}

Influenza

• In the Northern hemisphere, influenza activity was elevated in Northern Europe (mostly A(H1N1)pdm09 detected), South West Europe (mostly A(H1N1)pdm09 and B), Eastern Europe (due to co-circulation of influenza viruses), Central America and the Caribbean (mostly A(H3N2)), Western Africa (mostly A(H3N2) and B), Middle Africa (mostly A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2)), Northern Africa (mostly A(H3N2)), Western Asia (due to co-circulation of influenza viruses), Southern Asia (mostly A(H1N1)pdm09), and South East Asia (mostly A(H1N1)pdm09 and B). Activity increased in several countries in Europe and Asia.
• In the Southern hemisphere, influenza activity was elevated and increased in a single country in Tropical South America (due mostly to B viruses) but was similar or declined in all other reporting countries.

 

SARS-CoV-2

• SARS-CoV-2 activity remained elevated in countries in South America and a few countries in Europe and South East Asia. Increased activity was reported from parts of Eastern Europe and South America but was similar or declined 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.
 

Starting with report #501, the Global Respiratory Virus Activity Weekly Update included data from sentinel surveillance and other types of systematically conducted virologic surveillance. Countries, areas, and territories use a variety of approaches to monitor respiratory virus activity and data in this report may vary from surveillance reports posted elsewhere. Analyses stratified by source of surveillance is available through Respimart.