News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – The number of swine-origin H3N2 (variant H3N2, or H3N2v) influenza cases in the United States has climbed by 9 in the past week, to 305, and another rare swine-origin variant, H1N1v, has cropped up in Missouri, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported today.

(CIDRAP News) – A few of the world's tropical countries are reporting active flu transmission, as the flu season continues in Australia and New Zealand, though activity is declining, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported today.

(CIDRAP News) – More signals suggest the Southern Hemisphere's flu season is winding down, while activity is low at the start of the Northern Hemisphere's flu season, except in China, which is seeing moderate H3N2 circulation.

(CIDRAP News) – Flu activity is showing a late-season flourish in some parts of the Southern Hemisphere, such as Chile, where levels in some areas exceed last year's pandemic peak, and in parts of Australia, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its most rent influenza update.

(CIDRAP News) – So far Southern Hemisphere countries have seen low levels of flulike illnesses during their flu season, with the pandemic H1N1 virus predominant in Chile, Australia, and New Zealand; in addition, a few other places in the world, such as India, Malaysia, and Singapore, are reporting active transmission of the virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported today.