Weekly influenza surveillance overview, week 16, 2014

​For week 16/2014:
• Low intensity was reported by all 27 reporting countries and local or sporadic activity was reported by 19 countries.
• Of 161 sentinel specimens tested across 18 countries, 32 (20%) were positive for influenza virus. Twenty-seven (84%) of them were influenza A viruses.
• Four countries reported twenty-three hospitalised, laboratory-confirmed influenza cases, nine (39%) of which were admitted to intensive care units.
Overall, both influenza activity and circulation of influenza viruses in reporting countries are declining.