# 3751
The WHO has released their latest pandemic update (#66) with updated maps, charts, and figures.
While surveillance and reporting have been spotty since the beginning of this outbreak, glaringly absent are reports of any deaths from populous nations like mainland China, Germany and Russia.
Only 3 African nations (Egypt, Namibia, South Africa) have reported deaths, and large parts of Asia and Europe have yet to report fatalities as well. Those nations that are reporting deaths are likely under reporting fatalities as well, since only laboratory confirmed deaths are being counted.
The WHO can only pass on numbers that are reported by their member nations, and some countries obviously either not counting or are not releasing that information.
The number of fatalities currently being reported worldwide (“at least 3486”) no doubt represents a serious understatement of the true impact of the novel H1N1 pandemic. Caveat Lector.
The virological update is perhaps more interesting, as it still shows some roughly 25% of samples analyzed in the last reporting week to be of seasonal H1 and H3 variety.
Weekly update (Virological surveillance data)
18 September 2009 -- Since the beginning of the pandemic (from 19 April to 5th September 2009), a total of 80 countries reported to FluNet*. Total number of specimens reported positive for influenza viruses by National Influenza Centres (NICs)** was 105,002. Of these, 62,719 (59.7%) were pandemic H1N1, 5899 (5.6%) were seasonal A (H1), 15,284 (14.6%) were A (H3), 17,313 (16.5%) were A (Not subtyped) and 3782 (3.6%) were influenza B.
For this reporting week (30 August to 5 September 2009), a total of 31 countries reported to FluNet. Total number of specimens reported positive for influenza viruses by NICs was 7495. Of these, 4317(57.6%) were pandemic H1N1, 283 (3.8%) were seasonal A (H1), 1612 (21.5%) were A (H3), 1167(15.6%) were A (Not subtyped), 116 (1.5%) were influenza B. On average, the pandemic A (H1N1) accounted for 58% of all flu detections (57% in northern hemisphere and 94% in southern hemisphere).
All pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza viruses analysed to date have been antigenically and genetically similar to A/California/7/2009-like pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus.
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