Abstract
In the World Health Organization European Region, the 2018/19 influenza season started in week 49 2018, crossing 10% virus-positivity in sentinel surveillance specimens. At week 5 2019, activity remained elevated with positivity rates at 55%. Both A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) viruses circulated widely and detection levels in primary care and hospital settings were similar to past seasons. Hospitalisation data may suggest an increased susceptibility to A(H1N1)pdm09 virus in older age groups.
Highlights
In the World Health Organization European Region, the 2018/19 influenza season started in week 49 2018, crossing 10% virus-positivity in sentinel surveillance specimens
As at 11 February 2019, the 2018/19 influenza season was dominated by influenza A viruses; both subtypes were co-circulating with a slight dominance of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09
Compared with past seasons dominated by influenza either A(H1N1)pdm09 or A(H3N2) (2014/15–2016/17), the current season has been intense and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) data suggest similar
Summary
A Number of countries conducting surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections in hospitalised patients: 2014/15 (n = 12), 2015/16 (n = 17), 2016/17 (n=16), 2017/18 (n=18) and 2018/19 (n = 17). As at week 5 2019, 17 countries that conduct SARI surveillance reported 23,929 hospitalised cases; A(H1N1) pdm virus was detected in 77% (1165/1521) of influenza-positive cases. Laboratory-confirmed influenza in hospitalised patients admitted to the intensive care unit. As at week 5 2019, 12 countries that conduct casebased surveillance of influenza-positive hospitalisations reported 3,353 influenza-positive cases in persons admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Compared with the 2014/15 season when both viruses co-circulated, in 2018/19 the proportion of A(H1N1)pdm infected patients aged 24–44 years increased from 12 to 16% and that of patients aged 65–74 years from 21% to 27% (Figures 4). The proportion of A(H3N2) infected patients aged 45–64 years (24–32%) increased
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