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Situation at a glance In many countries of the Northern Hemisphere , trends in acute respiratory infections increase at this time of year.  These increases are typically caused by seasonal epidemics of respiratory pathogens such as seasonal influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other common respiratory viruses , including human metapneumovirus (hMPV), as well as mycoplasma pneumoniae .  Many countries conduct routine surveillance for acute respiratory infections and common respiratory pathogens.  Currently, in some countries in the temperate Northern hemisphere, influenza-like illness (ILI) and/or acute respiratory infection (ARI) rates have increased in recent weeks and are above baseline levels, following usual seasonal trends.  Seasonal influenza activity is elevated in many countries in the Northern hemisphere.  Where surveillance data is available , trends in RSV detections currently vary by region with decreases reported in most regions except ...

7 January 2025  A day after the United States reported its first human death from avian flu, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) insisted on Tuesday that the risk to the wider population remains “low”.  WHO spokesperson Dr. Margaret Harris told reporters in Geneva that the H5N1 virus causing the disease is “ not circulating in humans but jumping into humans ” who are exposed to poultry or dairy cattle. “ We’re not seeing sustained circulation ,” she insisted. Underlying conditions The man who died of the disease in Louisiana was over 65 and reportedly had underlying medical conditions, Dr. Harris said.  According to the health authorities , he had been exposed to chickens and wild birds . Several dozen people in the US have contracted avian influenza – commonly referred to as bird flu – during the current outbreak, mainly farmworkers in close contact with poultry flocks and cattle herds. Dr. Harris stressed that WHO’s assessment of the risk to the general population “i...

{Excerpt} In the 52nd week of 2024 ( December 23rd to December 29th ), respiratory samples from outpatient influenza-like cases and hospitalized severe acute respiratory infection cases collected in sentinel hospitals across the country (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) were tested for 10 viruses including the new coronavirus, influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza virus, common coronavirus, bocavirus, rhinovirus and enterovirus , as well as multiple respiratory pathogens including Mycoplasma pneumoniae. 1. Test results The pathogens detected positive in respiratory samples of influenza-like cases in outpatient and emergency departments of sentinel hospitals were mainly influenza virus, human metapneumovirus, and rhinovirus ; the pathogens detected positive in respiratory samples of hospitalized severe acute respiratory infection cases were mainly influenza virus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and human metapneumovirus . The specif...