Respiratory Virus Surveillance in the WHO African Region Epidemiological Week 18, April 29 to May 5 2024
During Epidemiological week (Epiweek) 18, 22 countries in the WHO African region (WHO AFR) contributed virological data for analysis - Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Seychelles, South Africa, South Sudan, Togo, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, and Zambia. During week 18, 1,240 specimens were collected and 1,226 were tested for influenza.
In Epiweek 18, 120 specimens tested positive for influenza virus (positivity of 9.8%), of which 98 specimens were Influenza A, and 22 specimens were Influenza B. The following influenza viruses were identified: Influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 (n = 62), Influenza A (H3) (n = 35), Influenza A (subtyping not performed) (n = 1), Influenza B (lineage not determined) (n = 1), and Influenza B (Victoria) (n = 21).
SARS CoV-2
In Epiweek 18, of the 1,169 specimens processed by 18 laboratories in the African Region, a total of 59 specimens tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (positivity of 5%).
Cumulatively from weeks 1 to 18, the WHO AFR influenza laboratory network has tested 28,685 sentinel surveillance specimens for SARS-CoV-2, of which 2,039 were positive for SARS-CoV-2 (cumulative positivity rate 7.1%).
In Epiweek 18, 120 specimens tested positive for influenza virus (positivity of 9.8%), of which 98 specimens were Influenza A, and 22 specimens were Influenza B. The following influenza viruses were identified: Influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 (n = 62), Influenza A (H3) (n = 35), Influenza A (subtyping not performed) (n = 1), Influenza B (lineage not determined) (n = 1), and Influenza B (Victoria) (n = 21).
SARS CoV-2
In Epiweek 18, of the 1,169 specimens processed by 18 laboratories in the African Region, a total of 59 specimens tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (positivity of 5%).
Cumulatively from weeks 1 to 18, the WHO AFR influenza laboratory network has tested 28,685 sentinel surveillance specimens for SARS-CoV-2, of which 2,039 were positive for SARS-CoV-2 (cumulative positivity rate 7.1%).