Description of the situation
28 August 2002
Disease Outbreak Reported
The outbreak has extended to 5 out of 6 provinces in Madagascar, the exception being Antsiranana province in the north-east of the country (see previous report).
The international team from the Global Outbreak Alert and
Response Network continues to work with mobile teams from the Ministry of Health
investigating these cases and collecting samples. Since the beginning of August 2002,
additional influenza A(H3N2) viruses have been isolated from cases in different provinces.
Analysis by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza in
London, United Kingdom and the Institut Pasteur, Madagascar (National Influenza Centre)
have shown that the circulating influenza virus is similar to A(H3N2) viruses (A/Panama/2007/99/(H3N2) ) which have been circulating in the northern and southern
hemispheres for several years. The virus circulating in Madagascar is similar to those
included in the current influenza vaccine and also in the vaccine for the coming influenza
season in the northern hemisphere; these vaccines, therefore, protect against infection
with this virus.