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Transitions: 3 Global Snapshots Of Flu Activity

 

 


# 4625

 

 

Last week marked the end of the traditional flu season in the Northern hemisphere (although some flu continues to circulate) and the flu season south of the equator has not yet moved into full swing.

 

For now, during this transition period, flu activity around the world is at relatively low levels. 

 

But that is not to say there isn’t anything interesting going on, as the following three graphics from the World Health Organization attest.   

 

Note: These maps reflect data collected between weeks 18 and 20 (May 3rd – May 22nd).

 

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This first graphic shows, as we might expect, that respiratory disease activity is either declining or unchanged north of the equator, and is on the rise in Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand.

 

 

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The second image shows the geographic spread of influenza activity.  While much of the world (including all of Africa, Canada, much of the middle east, and China) did not report numbers for week 18, the two hotspots for flu activity at that time appear to be the Dominican Republic and New Zealand.

 

I’ve saved the most interesting for last.

 

This third image shows the type of influenza being detected around the world. While Influenza B continues to reign in Russia and China, seasonal H3N1  H3N2 (thanks to Ian York for pointing out my fumble-fingered typo!) continues to circulate in eastern Africa. 

 

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Almost everywhere else in the world, pre-pandemic seasonal influenza has all but disappeared.  Whether that will happen in Africa, or whether H3 still has `legs’, is something we will simply have to wait to see.

 

While the CDC has stopped their weekly FluView reports for the summer, we still have these WHO updates.   So over the next few months we’ll keep monitoring these maps to see what trends may be developing.

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Influenza
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