Respiratory Virus Surveillance in the WHO African Region Epidemiological Week 06, February 5 to 11, 2024
During Epidemiological week (Epiweek) 6, 21 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, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Togo, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, and Zambia. During week 6, 1,746 specimens were collected, and 1,732 were tested for influenza.
In Epiweek 6, 112 specimens tested positive for influenza virus (positivity of 6.5%), of which 94 specimens were Influenza A, and 18 specimens were Influenza B. The following influenza viruses subtypes were identified: Influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 (n = 25), Influenza A (H3) (n = 66), Influenza A (subtyping not performed) (n = 3), Influenza B (lineage not determined) (n = 5), and Influenza B (Victoria) (n = 13).
In Epiweek 6, 95 specimens tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (positivity of 6.3%), of the 1,511 specimens processed by 18 laboratories regionally..
Cumulatively, from weeks 1 to 6, the WHO AFR influenza laboratory network has tested 8,946 sentinel surveillance specimens for SARS-CoV-2, of which 517 were positive for SARS-CoV-2 (cumulative regional positivity rate 5.8%).
In Epiweek 6, 112 specimens tested positive for influenza virus (positivity of 6.5%), of which 94 specimens were Influenza A, and 18 specimens were Influenza B. The following influenza viruses subtypes were identified: Influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 (n = 25), Influenza A (H3) (n = 66), Influenza A (subtyping not performed) (n = 3), Influenza B (lineage not determined) (n = 5), and Influenza B (Victoria) (n = 13).
In Epiweek 6, 95 specimens tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (positivity of 6.3%), of the 1,511 specimens processed by 18 laboratories regionally..
Cumulatively, from weeks 1 to 6, the WHO AFR influenza laboratory network has tested 8,946 sentinel surveillance specimens for SARS-CoV-2, of which 517 were positive for SARS-CoV-2 (cumulative regional positivity rate 5.8%).