Influenza Update N° 475

Overview

^{Published 15 May 2024 | For reporting week 18, which ended 05 May 2024}

Influenza

• In the Northern Hemisphere, influenza activity was stable or declined in most countries. Elevated activity continued to be reported in Central America and the Caribbean, due primarily to influenza A viruses, and in some parts of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, due primarily to influenza B viruses. A few countries in Western Africa and Middle Africa reported increased activity relative to previous weeks.
• In the southern hemisphere, several countries in South America reported elevated influenza activity, with mainly influenza A viruses detected. In Southern Africa, activity was elevated and increased relative to prior weeks, with influenza A viruses predominant. 

SARS-CoV-2

• SARS-CoV-2 activity, as reported from sentinel surveillance in 57 countries/areas/territories that met inclusion criteria, was low overall, but remained elevated in some countries in Western Africa, Western Asia, South Asia, and South East Asia. Activity was stable in most countries, with small increases reported in very few countries in South-East Asia, Northern Africa and Middle Africa.

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://covid.comesa.int/publications/i/item/WHO-2019-nCoV-integrated_sentinel_surveillance-2022.1.