WHO EMRO - Surveillance, Forecasting and Response (CSR)

 

 

Surveillance, Forecasting and Response

 


Last update: 15 November 2009  

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 Somalia: Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 has been confirmed for the first time   |   Afghanistan: Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection   |   Oman: launch of vaccination against pandemic (H1N1) 2009   |   Yemen: Oseltamivir-resistant pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza virus  | Latest information bulletin, 15 November 2009

LATEST SITUATION

(As of 14 November 2009)

:: Total cases

28,751

:: Total deaths 188

:: Reporting countries

22

See detailed information

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009

:: Health requirements and recommendations for entry visas for Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umra, 1430 H (2009)

The Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia has recently issued a set of health requirements and recommendations for entry visas for Saudi Arabia for the Hajj and Umra season, 1430 H (2009), with special focus on reducing the transmission of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza among pilgrims. These health requirements and recommendations call for those population groups who are considered to be at high risk for complications from influenza to refrain voluntarily from this year’s Hajj. The requirements issued by the Kingdom also request the health authorities in pilgrims’ countries of origin to educate and advise pilgrims on basic public health measures (personal hygiene measures, cough etiquette, use of antiseptic hand gel, etc.) to be followed during Hajj and Umra to prevent the spread of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 during the upcoming Hajj season.

Read the related issue of Weekly Epidemiological Monitor, volume 2, issue 46, 15 November 2009

Further reading


:: Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection in Afghanistan

In recent weeks, Afghanistan reported a surge in cases from pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection. The outbreak first started in Afghanistan on 3 July 2009 when the first laboratory-confirmed case was reported in the multi-national forces.

However, the first case amongst the civilian population was reported on 28 October 2009 and till 07 November 2009, the outbreak spread to 7 out of 34 provinces in the country with 772 laboratory-confirmed cases and 11 deaths. Of these, 69 cases have been reported in the civilian population, 313 cases in the foreign military personnel and 390 cases were reported in the Afghan national armed forces personnel. Of the 11 deaths reported so far, 3 deaths were reported in the Afghan military personnel and the remaining 8 deaths were reported in the civilian population.

Read the related issue of Weekly Epidemiological Monitor, volume 2, issue 45, 8 November 2009


:: SAGE’s advise on pandemic influenza vaccines

The Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization, which advises WHO on policies and strategies for vaccines and immunization, devoted a session of its 27–29 October meeting to pandemic influenza vaccines. The experts reviewed the current epidemiological situation of the pandemic worldwide and considered issues and options from a public health perspective.  

Following the conclusion of the meeting, SAGE’s recommendations on pandemic influenza vaccines have been released. The experts advised WHO on the number of doses of vaccine needed to confer protection in different age groups, the co-administration of seasonal and pandemic vaccines, and vaccines for use in pregnant women. Recommendations on the formulation of seasonal influenza vaccines for the southern hemisphere in 2010 were also provided. 

Read more on pandemic influenza vaccines


COUNTRIES NEWS

Afghanistan
Iraq
Syrian Arab Republic
Somalia

:: Oman becomes the first country in the Region to launch vaccination against pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection

On 26 October, the Sultanate of Oman launched its vaccination campaign against pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection. The first 120,000 doses of adjuvanted vaccines received by the country will be used to vaccinate the Hajj Pilgrims, frontline health care workers and the pregnant women who are considered to be at risk from pandemic influenza.

In phases, the Sultanate is expected to receive 2.6 million doses of pandemic vaccines until April 2010 to cover its entire population including all foreigner residents living in the country.

A massive public awareness campaign has also started in the Sultanate in connection with the vaccination campaign. 


:: First report of oseltamivir-resistant pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza virus from the Region

The Republic of Yemen reported its first oseltamivir resistant pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus last week. 2009. This is also the first case of oseltamivir resistance virus reported from the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

The specimen was taken from a 3 year old female child who was admitted to the hospital on 07 October with high grade of fever, cough, sore throat, body ache and difficulty in breathing. The child was also a known case of congenital heart disease with pulmonary hypertension. The child was put on antiviral medicine and was tested positive for H1N1 by RT-PCR on 9 October at the National Public Health Laboratory of Yemen. The clinical condition of the child did not improve even 10 days after she was put on treatment. At this stage, her second nasal swab was tested positive for H1N1 at the same laboratory. The isolate was sent to NAMRU-3, a WHO Collaborating Center) for routine antiviral resistance test and found to be resistant to oseltamivir. The patient has now clinically improved with no fever and difficulty in breathing.

Since the beginning of current influenza pandemic, a total of 40 cases of oseltamivir-resistant pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus, including the one from Yemen, have been reported globally to WHO till the end of October 2009. Globally all resistant cases reported so far are geographically dispersed and not epidemiologically linked to one another. Extensive susceptibility testing of clinical samples and virus isolates also suggests that such resistant viruses are not circulating at a community level.

Read the related issue of Weekly Epidemiological Monitor, volume 2, issue 44, 01 November 2009

Further reading: Weekly Epidemiological Record, 30 October 2009; Volume-84, 44 (PP-453-468)

 

 



 
 
 

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