Season overview
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The seasonal epidemic activity threshold of 10% positivity in sentinel specimens was first crossed in week 45/2022.
- Following a peak at week 51/2022 with 39% positivity, influenza activity had been decreasing across the Region until week 4/2023 when it reached 21% positivity before rising again to fluctuate around 25% positivity between weeks 6 and 11/2023 before decreasing below 10% positivity in week 16/2023.
- Overall this season, influenza A(H3) viruses have dominated in sentinel primary care specimens, however higher circulation of A(H1)pdm09 and type B viruses was observed starting from week 50/2022 and week 2/2023, respectively. In non-sentinel specimens, higher circulation of A(H1)pdm09 (55%) than A(H3) viruses (45%) was detected.
- Both influenza type A and type B viruses have been detected in hospitalized patients in ICU and other wards and influenza A(H1)pdm09 viruses have dominated among SARI patients.
- Virus type and subtype prevalence by country and surveillance system has been variable across the season.
- The B/Yamagata viruses sporadically detected and reported by different countries have been further investigated and were proven to be LAIV related detections.
Other news
For information about the SARS-CoV-2 situation in the WHO European Region visit:
• WHO website: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
• ECDC website: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/novel-coronavirus-china
Influenza positivity
For the European Region, influenza virus positivity in sentinel primary care specimens remained below the epidemic threshold, which is set at 10%.
External data sources
Mortality monitoring
The EuroMOMO report can be found here: https://www.euromomo.eu/
Please refer to the EuroMOMO websitefor a cautionary note relating to interpretation of these data.