WHO - Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 102

From WHO, their latest worldwide H1N1 situation update :

" 28 May 2010 : As of 23 May, worldwide more than 214 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including over 18114 deaths.

WHO is actively monitoring the progress of the pandemic through frequent consultations with the WHO Regional Offices and Member States and through monitoring of multiple sources of information.

In the tropical zone of South America, pandemic and seasonal influenza viruses continued to circulate at low to sporadic levels. In Peru, recent regional increases in respiratory diseases activity (in children under age 5) has been largely associated with circulating respiratory syncitial virus (RSV). In Colombia and Brazil, low levels of pandemic and seasonal influenza H3N2 viruses have been detected over the past month. In Bolivia, a recent period of circulation of predominantly seasonal influenza type B viruses appears to have concluded.

In Asia, overall pandemic influenza activity remains low to sporadic, except in limited areas of south and southeast Asia, particularly Singapore, Malaysia, and Bangladesh. In Singapore, levels of ARI have been elevated since April 2010 and in recent weeks have remained near epidemic threshold; approximately 39% of respiratory specimens from ILI patients tested positive for pandemic influenza virus during mid May 2010. In neighboring Malaysia, limited data suggest that active pandemic influenza virus circulation persist after recent activity peaked during mid April 2010; small numbers of fatal cases have been reported since that time. In Bangladesh, co-dominant circulation of pandemic and seasonal influenza B viruses has been observed since mid April 2010, however, the overall intensity of respiratory diseases was reported to low during this period. Low levels of pandemic influenza virus continued to circulate in western India, while low and declining levels of seasonal influenza B viruses continued to be reported across East Asia."