Respiratory Virus Surveillance in the WHO African Region Epidemiological Week 31: July 31 to August 6, 2023
During epidemiological week 31, 17 countries in the WHO African region (WHO AFR) contributed virological data for analysis - Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Togo, and Zambia. During week 31, 980 specimens were collected, and 935 were tested for influenza.
In Epiweek 31, 68 specimens tested positive for influenza virus (positivity of 7.27%), of which 54 specimens were Influenza A, and 14 specimens were Influenza B, out of the 935 specimens processed. The following Influenza viruses were identified: Influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 (n = 27), Influenza A (H3) (n = 11), Influenza A (subtyping not performed) (n = 16), Influenza B (lineage not determined) (n = 13), and Influenza B (Victoria) (n = 1).
Cumulatively from weeks 1 to 31, the WHO AFR influenza laboratory network has collected 65,737 specimens and tested 65,496, of which 5,060 were positive for influenza virus (positivity rate 7.73%).