In 2003-2004 season an increased influenza activity has been detected earlier than in previous seasons. The predominant virus circulating in North America is similar to A/ Fujian/411/2002.

4 December 2003

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 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...

As of 14 July 2009, a total of 78,990 confirmed cases of the pandemic H1N1 2009, including 539 deaths, have been notified in 31 countries of the Americas, (Figure 1).