With the beginning of the influenza season in the Northern Hemisphere, the Pan American Health Organization /World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) recommends Member States ensure appropriate clinical management of patients, strict implementation of infection prevention and control measures in health care services and access to adequate supplies of antivirals. Member States should continue vaccinations against influenza to reduce hospitalizations and avoid deaths.

The Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) recommends that Member States continue efforts to prepare and maintain the capacity to detect any unusual health event, including those that might be associated with a new subtype of influenza virus. PAHO/WHO encourages Member States to consider developing diagnostic capabilities for detecting infection caused by avian influenza A(H7N9).

The Organization does not advise health screening at points of entry in relation to this event, nor that any travel or trade restrictions be applied.

The Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) recommends that Member States adopt necessary measures for ensuring appropriate clinical management, strict compliance with infection prevention control measures in health care services, and adequate supplies of antivirals. PAHO/WHO also urges Member States to continue conducting seasonal influenza vaccination to prevent serious influenza cases as well as deaths from influenza.

Laboratory results received on Sunday, 11 January 2004, confirmed the presence of avian influenza virus strain A (H5N1) in samples taken from 2 children and 1 adult admitted to hospital in Hanoi with a severe respiratory illness.

The National Influenza Center (NIC) in Egypt and the WHO Influenza Collaborating Centre in the UK reported the isolation of Avian Influenza A (H10N7) from two human specimens.

This past February, a workshop on the Epidemiology and Diagnostics of Influenza was held in Lima, Peru. Participants included staff in charge of epidemiological surveillance from the influenza laboratory and clinicians from each of the Andean countries...

Several conclusions and recommendations were made during this consultation to strengthen WHO recommendations for protecting humans due to the consequences of widespread outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in poultry in several Asian countries.

5 February 2004

On 26 January 2004, the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WHO/WPRO) published a document with recommendations for the protection of personnel involved in the culling and slaughtering of animals potentially infected with avian flu...

On 9 December, WHO was informed that tests carried out by the Department of Health Public Health Laboratory Centre, Hong Kong SAR identified influenza A(H9N2) virus (avian influenza virus) in a 5-year old boy in Hong Kong SAR.

The modality of sentinel surveillance of influenza morbidity is implemented in Chile since 2002; currently there are 31 sentinel centers, located primary health care center in 27 Health Regions (Servicios de Salud), with one million people under surveillance.

Influenza cases by a new sub-type:
Regional Report (30 April 2009)
Vol. 6, No. 16

Since 18 April, cases of swine influenza (swine flu) have been reported in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Read on for more information on the outbreak and laboratory results, as well as surveillance and outbreak investigation underway and how this outbreak is defined in terms of the International Health Regulations (IHR).

This two-page report is an update of the information released earlier today on swine flu cases in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. It includes number of cases, affected areas, and laboratory results, as well as laboratory results, surveillance and outbreak control measures, and how this epidemic relates to the criteria established by the International Health Regulations (IHR).

This two-page report is an update of the information published yesterday on swine influenza/flu activity in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. It provides information on the number of cases, areas affected, and laboratory results, as well as on surveillance and outbreak control measures and how this outbreak meets IHR criteria for a public health emergency of international concern.

On November 17th, 2003 Tocantins State Health Department (SES/TO) reported to Brazil's Health Surveillance Secretariat (Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde, SVS) the occurrence of cases of an illness with respiratory manifestations in the Araguacena municipality.

Activities have been carried out to comply with the recommendations from the document PAHO/DPC/CDC/32/03, Guidelines for the Preparation of a Subregional Plan of Southern Cone Countries for an Influenza Pandemic.

3-24 July 2003

K.G Nicholson, J.M. Wood & M. Zambon (2003) Influenza. Lancet 362: 1733-1745: In its last issue, Lancet published an article on influenza that emphasizes the progress made in human and animal surveillance...

According to a communiqué dated 21 December 2007 from the Secretary of Public Health and Social Assistance (Secretaría de Salud Pública y Asistencia Social / SESPAS) of the Domininican Republic to the World Organization of Animal Health (OIE) and to the PAHO/WHO Office in that country...