Australian Influenza Surveillance 2010 - Latest report

The Australian Influenza Report is compiled from a number of data sources, including laboratory-confirmed notifications to NNDSS, sentinel influenza-like illness reporting from General Practitioners and Emergency Departments, workplace absenteeism, and laboratory testing. It is produced weekly. A more in-depth end of season report is also published in Communicable Diseases Intelligence.

Report No. 8
Reporting period 20 to 26 February 2010

Influenza Surveillance Report No. 8 for the week ending 26 February 2010 (PDF 179 KB)

Summary

  • In 2010, as at 26 February, there were 44 confirmed cases of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza reported in Australia, bringing the total of confirmed cases to 37,680 since 2009. In addition, there were 186 reported cases of influenza type A not sub-typed.
  • National influenza activity remains low. However, some indicators are at levels slightly above those experienced at the same time in previous years:
    • Enquiries to the National Health Call Centre Network (NHCCN) remain low;
    • There has been no change in ILI presentation rates to General Practitioners, at 5 patients per 1,000 visits;
    • ILI presentations to emergency departments (EDs) in New South Wales and Western Australia were slightly above levels seen at the same time in previous years;
    • FluTracking shows a slight increase in ILI nationally; and
    • Absenteeism rates have increased and are above levels seen at the same time in previous years.
  • As at 21 February 2010, the WHO Regional Offices reported at least 16,226 deaths associated with pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza worldwide. In the Northern Hemisphere, active but declining pandemic influenza transmission persists in areas of Eastern and South Eastern Europe, Eastern and South East Asia.
  • Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza virus continues to be the predominant influenza virus circulating worldwide. In China and Hong Kong, however, seasonal influenza type B viruses accounted for 83.5% and 56.1% of all influenza detected in the reporting week, respectively.
    • The substantial rise in seasonal influenza type B in Hong Kong (from 34.5% in the last reporting week) is similar to the recent trend seen earlier in China.

Full report in the PDF file above