Surveillance Report - Weekly influenza surveillance overview (20 January 2012)

Influenza transmission is slowly progressing in Europe and is currently dominated by A(H3N2) viruses. This is reported in the latest edition of the Weekly influenza surveillance report (WISO) for week 2/2012 (9–15 January 2012). Low influenza activity was notified by 25 of the 27 countries reporting with five countries reporting local or regional spread (Italy, Finland, Netherlands, Norway and Spain). Ten countries reported increasing trends compared with five last week. Of 803 sentinel specimens collected and tested during week 2/2012, 137 (17.1%) were positive for influenza viruses. This is higher than in week 1 and continues an upward progression since December 2011. Of 908 influenza A viruses sub-typed from sentinel and non-sentinel sources since week 40/2011, 93.7% were of the H3 subtype. No antiviral resistance has been detected. Further information can be found in the ECDC/CNRL Report on Influenza virus characterisation, December 2011. Since week 40/2011, 195 severe acute respiratory infection cases have been reported by six countries. 77 were confirmed influenza-positive cases and of those typed or sub-typed, 15 were A(H1N1)pdm09, 30 were A(H3) and five were influenza B viruses. Related influenza links and latest influenza outputs can also be found on this link