12/18/09
Update: Update 79 / week 49
To date,WHO reported a total at least 10,582 deaths.
WHO did not reported the total number of confirmed and reported influenza A H1N1 cases:
"As many countries have stopped counting individual cases, particularly of milder illness, the case count is likely to be significantly lower than the actual number of cases that have occurred. WHO is actively monitoring the progress of the pandemic through frequent consultations with the WHO Regional Offices and member states and through monitoring of multiple sources of data."
In the northern hemisphere: active influenza virus transmission persists, the transmission is very high in the USA, mortality due to pneumonia and influenza (P&I mortality) remains elevated above the epidemic threshold; weekly numbers of lab-confirmed hospitalizations and deaths have also recently begun to decline.
"The preliminary analysis of data from Northern Hemisphere countries that have now passed through an entire season of winter transmission indicate that the mortality rate, as expressed in fatal cases per million people, is in the same range as that which was observed in the Southern Hemisphere winter. This would indicate that the overall severity of the pandemic has not changed although the proportion of the population infected has been much higher in the temperate countries of the Northern Hemisphere during their winter season compared to the circulation observed in their summer season".
In Europe widespread and intense transmission of pandemic influenza virus continued to be observed across most of the continent. A high intensity of respiratory diseases activity continued to increase or reach a plateau in a limited number of countries: the Czech Republic, Estonia,, Hungary, Montenegro and Switzerland (a range of 28-71% of sentinel respiratory samples were positive for influenza in these countries). A high intensity of respiratory disease activity was reported in parts of northern and south-eastern Europe and in parts of the Russian Federation.
In Western and Central Asia, influenza transmission remains active. Disease activity continues to increase in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and has peaked in some countries including in Afghanistan, Oman, and Israel. Influenza virus continues to circulate in Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt and in much of the surrounding region but may have recently peaked in some parts.
In East Asia, influenza transmission remains active but appears to be declining overall. Influenza activity has recently peaked and begun to decline in Japan. Influenza activite remained elevated in northern and southern China, Taipei and in Mongolia. In southern Asia, influenza activity continues to increase in the northern parts of India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.
In the tropical zone of Central and South America and the Caribbean, influenza transmission remains geographically widespread but overall disease activity has been declining in most areas.
To date,WHO reported a total at least 10,582 deaths.
WHO did not reported the total number of confirmed and reported influenza A H1N1 cases:
"As many countries have stopped counting individual cases, particularly of milder illness, the case count is likely to be significantly lower than the actual number of cases that have occurred. WHO is actively monitoring the progress of the pandemic through frequent consultations with the WHO Regional Offices and member states and through monitoring of multiple sources of data."
In the northern hemisphere: active influenza virus transmission persists, the transmission is very high in the USA, mortality due to pneumonia and influenza (P&I mortality) remains elevated above the epidemic threshold; weekly numbers of lab-confirmed hospitalizations and deaths have also recently begun to decline.
"The preliminary analysis of data from Northern Hemisphere countries that have now passed through an entire season of winter transmission indicate that the mortality rate, as expressed in fatal cases per million people, is in the same range as that which was observed in the Southern Hemisphere winter. This would indicate that the overall severity of the pandemic has not changed although the proportion of the population infected has been much higher in the temperate countries of the Northern Hemisphere during their winter season compared to the circulation observed in their summer season".
In Europe widespread and intense transmission of pandemic influenza virus continued to be observed across most of the continent. A high intensity of respiratory diseases activity continued to increase or reach a plateau in a limited number of countries: the Czech Republic, Estonia,, Hungary, Montenegro and Switzerland (a range of 28-71% of sentinel respiratory samples were positive for influenza in these countries). A high intensity of respiratory disease activity was reported in parts of northern and south-eastern Europe and in parts of the Russian Federation.
In Western and Central Asia, influenza transmission remains active. Disease activity continues to increase in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and has peaked in some countries including in Afghanistan, Oman, and Israel. Influenza virus continues to circulate in Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt and in much of the surrounding region but may have recently peaked in some parts.
In East Asia, influenza transmission remains active but appears to be declining overall. Influenza activity has recently peaked and begun to decline in Japan. Influenza activite remained elevated in northern and southern China, Taipei and in Mongolia. In southern Asia, influenza activity continues to increase in the northern parts of India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.
In the tropical zone of Central and South America and the Caribbean, influenza transmission remains geographically widespread but overall disease activity has been declining in most areas.
Pandemic H1N1 2009 virus appears to be the predominant influenza virus circulating in northern and eastern Africa. In West Africa, a mixture of pandemic and seasonal influenza viruses have been detected. Seasonal viruses have included both seasonal H1N1 and H3N2, with the later predominating..
In the temperate region of the southern hemisphere, little pandemic influenza activity has been reported
Source: WHO
