Publications

During Epiweek 1, 13 countries in the WHO African region (WHO AFR) contributed virological data for analysis - Algeria, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. During week 1, 507 specimens were collected and 461 were tested for influenza.

In Epiweek 1, 48 specimens tested positive for influenza virus (positivity of 10.4%), of which 27 specimens were Influenza A, and 21 specimens were Influenza B. The following influenza viruses were identified: Influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 (n = 9), Influenza A (H3) (n = 17), Influenza A (subtyping not performed) (n = 1), Influenza B (lineage not determined) (n = 11), and Influenza B (Victoria) (n = 10).

SARS-CoV-2 

In Epiweek 1, of the 463 specimens processed by 10 laboratories in the African Region, a total of 99 specimens tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (positivity of 21.4%).

Cumulatively from weeks 1 to 1, the WHO AFR influenza laboratory network has tested 463 sentinel surveillance specimens for SARS-CoV-2, of which 99 were positive for SARS-CoV-2 (cumulative positivity rate 21.4%).