Mary Wilson
Well-known member
- New infections: From 4 March to 24 April 2023, three human cases of infection with influenza
A(H9N2) viruses and two human cases of infection with influenza A(H1N1) variant viruses were reported officially. Two of the A(H9N2) cases and both A(H1N1) variant cases were mentioned in the previous risk assessment of 3 March 2023. 3 Additionally, one human case of infection with an influenza A(H3N8) virus and one human case of infection with an A(H5N1) virus were reported.
Risk assessment: The overall public health risk from currently known influenza viruses at the human-animal interface has not changed, and the likelihood of sustained human-to-human transmission of these viruses remains low. Human infections with viruses of animal origin are expected at the human-animal interface wherever these viruses circulate in animals.
IHR compliance: All human infections caused by a new influenza subtype are required to be reported under the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005).4 This includes any influenza A virus that has demonstrated the capacity to infect a human and its haemagglutinin gene (or protein) is not a mutated form of those, i.e. A(H1) or A(H3), circulating widely in the human population. Information from these notifications is critical to inform risk assessments for influenza at the human-animal interface.
Avian Influenza Viruses
Since the risk assessment of 3 March 2023, one human case of infection with an A(H5N1) virus was reported to WHO.
On 29 March, Chile notified the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/WHO of a laboratory- confirmed case of human infection with an avian influenza A(H5) virus. The case is a 53-year-old male, without comorbidities or a history of recent travel, from the Antofagasta Region in the north of Chile. His symptoms, including cough and sore throat, began on 13 March. On 21 March, his symptoms worsened, and he went to a local hospital where he tested negative on a COVID-19 antigen test, but a chest x-ray revealed pneumonia. On 22 March, he was hospitalized for respiratory distress. As part of routine severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) surveillance, a nasopharyngeal sample was collected and tested negative for COVID-19 by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). On 23 March, he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. The patient remained in respiratory isolation under multidisciplinary management, including mechanical ventilation, at the time of reporting. ...
https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/defa...pril-2023.pdf?sfvrsn=e667a5dc_1&download=true
A(H9N2) viruses and two human cases of infection with influenza A(H1N1) variant viruses were reported officially. Two of the A(H9N2) cases and both A(H1N1) variant cases were mentioned in the previous risk assessment of 3 March 2023. 3 Additionally, one human case of infection with an influenza A(H3N8) virus and one human case of infection with an A(H5N1) virus were reported.
Risk assessment: The overall public health risk from currently known influenza viruses at the human-animal interface has not changed, and the likelihood of sustained human-to-human transmission of these viruses remains low. Human infections with viruses of animal origin are expected at the human-animal interface wherever these viruses circulate in animals.
IHR compliance: All human infections caused by a new influenza subtype are required to be reported under the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005).4 This includes any influenza A virus that has demonstrated the capacity to infect a human and its haemagglutinin gene (or protein) is not a mutated form of those, i.e. A(H1) or A(H3), circulating widely in the human population. Information from these notifications is critical to inform risk assessments for influenza at the human-animal interface.
Avian Influenza Viruses
Since the risk assessment of 3 March 2023, one human case of infection with an A(H5N1) virus was reported to WHO.
On 29 March, Chile notified the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/WHO of a laboratory- confirmed case of human infection with an avian influenza A(H5) virus. The case is a 53-year-old male, without comorbidities or a history of recent travel, from the Antofagasta Region in the north of Chile. His symptoms, including cough and sore throat, began on 13 March. On 21 March, his symptoms worsened, and he went to a local hospital where he tested negative on a COVID-19 antigen test, but a chest x-ray revealed pneumonia. On 22 March, he was hospitalized for respiratory distress. As part of routine severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) surveillance, a nasopharyngeal sample was collected and tested negative for COVID-19 by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). On 23 March, he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. The patient remained in respiratory isolation under multidisciplinary management, including mechanical ventilation, at the time of reporting. ...
https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/defa...pril-2023.pdf?sfvrsn=e667a5dc_1&download=true