The Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) of WHO is actively monitoring the progress of the pandemic through frequent consultations with the Member States. This update has been produced based on the data reported from some Member States.

Geographical Distribution

Pandemic Influenza transmission is geographically regional in most of the countries in the Region, except in Morocco and Jordan, where the transmission of the pandemic influenza is localized

Trend

The overall activity of the pandemic during this week continues to decline or remains low in most of the reporting countries as compared to the previous weeks. A number of countries in the region have already experienced a peak in activity during December 2009 and the beginning of January 2010 (Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, Palestine, Jordan, Libya, Sudan and Yemen).

Available data on the rates of Influenza Like Illness (ILI)/ Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) indicate a declining trend in Iraq and Sudan and unchanged level in Afghanistan and Oman. Data on Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) suggest an unchanged level in Jordan, Afghanistan and Oman as compared to the previous week.

Intensity

Reports available from these countries suggest a low to moderate proportion of population have been affected by the pandemic.

Impact on the health system

The demand on health care services in all the reporting countries is not above the usual levels.

Deaths

Yemen and Morocco reported new 4 laboratory-confirmed Pandemic H1N1 2009 deaths this week, which brings the total to 1,018 deaths in the Region.