Weekly influenza surveillance overview, week 19, 2014
For week 19/2014:
• Low-intensity influenza activity was reported by 26 reporting countries.
• Of 86 sentinel specimens tested across 13 countries, seven (8%) were positive for influenza virus.
• Ten hospitalised, laboratory-confirmed influenza cases were reported, seven of which were admitted to intensive care units. With influenza activity continuing to decline in all reporting countries after five months of active transmission, the 2013–14 influenza season is coming to an end.
Executive Summary
Influenza activity across Europe has continued to decline for a number of weeks and the season is drawing to its close, concludes the latest Weekly Influenza Surveillance Overview, covering 5–11 May 2014.
The season's peak was reached in week 3/2014, when 44% of the 1 802 sentinel specimens tested were positive for influenza. In week 19, 8% of the 86 tested sentinel specimens were positive.
Since week 40/2013, the dominant circulating virus subtype has been influenza A(H1)pdm09. Excluding unsubtyped specimens, 52% of sentinel surveillance specimens testing positive for influenza were of type A(H1)pdm09. Influenza A(H3) accounted for 46% of positive specimens and Influenza B accounted for the remaining 2%.
The end-of-season infographic illustrates trends and intensity across the season.