Influenza Virological Surveillance in the WHO African Region, Epidemiological Week 36, 2017
During epidemiological week 36, 19 laboratories (Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, K enya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia) in the African region influenza laboratory network contributed data for analysis . During week 36 , 125 specimens were positive for influenza out of the 748 that were tested (17% positivity rate). This represents a decrease in influenza positivity rate to the previous week (week 35, 23%). Influenza types and subtypes identified were influenza A/H3(37/125, 30%), influenza A/H1N1pdm09 (19/125, 15%) and influenza B (68/125, 54%). One specimen remained untyped (1%).
Cumulatively* from epidemiological week 1 to 36 the AFR influenza laboratory network has collected over 25, 200 specimens and tested 24,204, of which 3,385 have been positive for influenza virus (positivity rate 14%).
* adjusted for retrospective data.