Avian Influenza and the Pandemic Threat

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 briefing note 20

22 DECEMBER 2009 | GENEVA -- Efforts to assess the severity of the H1N1 influenza pandemic sometimes compare numbers of confirmed deaths with those estimated for seasonal influenza, either nationally or worldwide. Such comparisons are not reliable for several reasons and can be misleading.

Numbers of deaths for seasonal influenza are estimates. They use statistical models designed to calculate so-called excess mortality that occurs during the period when influenza viruses are circulating widely in a given population.

21 December 2009 -- The Ministry of Health of Egypt has reported a new laboratory confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) on 19 December 2009.

The case is a 21 year old female from the El Tanta District of Gharbia Governorate. She developed symptoms of fever and cough on 15 December 2009.

She was admitted to Tanta Fever Hospital where she received oseltamivir treatment on the same day. She is in a stable condition. Investigation revealed that the case had close contact with dead poultry and was involved in slaughtering sick birds.

18 December 2009 -- The Ministry of Health of Cambodia has announced a new confirmed case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus.

17 December 2009 -- The Director-General has called for international solidarity to provide equitable access to pandemic influenza vaccine for all countries. Final preparations are underway to distribute donated pandemic influenza vaccines to 95 low- and middle-income countries to help prevent severe disease.

Pandemic vaccine deployment update [pdf 39kb]

3 DECEMBER 2009 | GENEVA -- WHO is aware of some concerns, expressed in the media, that ties with the pharmaceutical industry among experts on the Organization’s advisory bodies may influence policy decisions, especially those relating to the influenza pandemic.

2 DECEMBER 2009 | GENEVA -- WHO has been informed of two recent clusters of patients infected with oseltamivir-resistant H1N1 viruses. Both clusters, detected in Wales, UK and North Carolina, USA, occurred in a single ward in a hospital, and both involved patients whose immune systems were severely compromised or suppressed. Transmission of resistant virus from one patient to another is suspected in both outbreaks.

27 November 2009 -- The Ministry of Health of Egypt has reported a new confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H5N1).

The case is a 3 year-old male from Minia Governorate. His symptoms started on 21 November 2009.

He was admitted to hospital on 22 November and his condition is stable. Investigations into the source of infection indicated that the case had close contact with dead and/or sick poultry.

The cases were confirmed by the Egyptian Central Public Health Laboratories.

Of the 89 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 27 have been fatal.

Weekly update

27 November 2009 -- As of 22 November 2009, worldwide more than 207 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including over 7820 deaths.

20 NOVEMBER 2009 | GENEVA -- The Norwegian Institute of Public Health has informed WHO of a mutation detected in three H1N1 viruses. The viruses were isolated from the first two fatal cases of pandemic influenza in the country and one patient with severe illness.

Norwegian scientists have analysed samples from more than 70 patients with clinical illness and no further instances of this mutation have been detected. This finding suggests that the mutation is not widespread in the country.

19 NOVEMBER 2009 | GENEVA -- To date, WHO has received vaccination information from 16 of around 40 countries conducting national H1N1 pandemic vaccine campaigns. Based on information in these 16 countries, WHO estimates that around 80 million doses of pandemic vaccine have been distributed and around 65 million people have been vaccinated. National immunization campaigns began in Australia and the People’s Republic of China in late September.