In the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, influenza activity remained low in June 2017 in countries reporting data to FluNet and EMFLU namely, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, occupied Palestinian territory, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia (Fig. 1). All seasonal influenza subtypes were detected in the Region.
Fig. 1. Influenza activity in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, June 2017
Influenza activity by sub-type
- In June 2017, no new cases of influenza A(H5N1) were reported in Egypt.
- In the northern Africa influenza transmission zone, during the month of June 2017, Egypt and Morocco reported no influenza activity.
- In the western Asia influenza transmission zone, Oman and Qatar reported circulation of all seasonal influenza subtypes with predominace of A(H1N1)pdm09. Saudi Arabia reported circulation of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and influenza B.
- In the southern Asia transmission zone, Islamic Republic of Iran reported circulation of sporadic cases of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 (Fig. 2).
Fig. 2. Weekly positive cases of influenza by sub-type, Epi week 25/2016–2017
Circulating influenza viruses by subtype
- Regional national influenza centres and influenza laboratories tested a total of 1434 specimens for influenza viruses in June 2017. Of these, 285 tested positive.
- The average percentage of positivity rates is 8.1%, with highest positivity rate recorded in Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The lowest rates were recorded in Egypt, Iraq, Morocco and occupied Palestinian territory.
- Of the viruses tested, 228 (80%) were influenza A viruses and 57 (20%) were influenza B viruses (Fig. 3). Of the sub-typed influenza A viruses, 121 (42%) were influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses and 7 (3%) were influenza A(H3) viruses.
