Influenza Update N° 496

Overview

^{Published 10 October 2024 | For reporting Week 39, ending 29 September 2024}

Influenza

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

 

SARS-CoV-2

• SARS-CoV-2 activity remained elevated in countries in Europe, Central America and the Caribbean, Temperate South America, Western Asia, and Eastern Asia. Increased activity was reported in countries in Europe and one country in Temperate South America.

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.