Influenza Update N° 505

Overview

^{Published 12 December 2024 | For reporting Week 48, ending 01 December 2024}

Influenza

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

 

SARS-CoV-2

• SARS-CoV-2 activity remained elevated in many countries in Europe and South America and in a few countries in North America and South East Asia. Increased activity was reported from parts of South West Europe 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://covid.comesa.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.