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Public Domain.
Source: WikiArt, https://www.wikiart.org/en/diego-velazquez/price-baltasar-carlos-1632
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Public Domain.
Source: WikiArt, https://www.wikiart.org/en/diego-velazquez/price-baltasar-carlos-1632
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
Abstract
The ongoing emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants in an increasingly immune-experienced population is largely enabled by the plasticity of the Spike protein, which lies at the frontline of host immune pressure. Here, we investigated how extensive remodeling of the N-terminal domain (NTD) in Spike influences its antigenic properties. Using BA.2.87.1, a variant heavily mutated in this domain, we found that even large deletions do not substantially disrupt overall Spike structure or pseudovirus infectivity. However, our structural and binding analyses revealed that the NTD exhibits increased flexibility and that interaction with a heme–metabolite, known to facilitate the exposure of an immunodominant epitope, is lost. These conformational effects, coupled with 33 NTD mutations, compromised the ability of human convalescent antibodies to engage this domain, contributing to their reduced neutralizing capacity. Consequently, BA.2.87.1-like variants may escape recognition by the preexisting NTD-targeting antibodies, potentially reducing protection. Together, our results highlight the intrinsic adaptability of the Spike beyond the receptor-binding domain, with implications for immune escape during viral evolution.
Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2608185123
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
Abstract
Influenza D virus (IDV) is an emerging pathogen associated with bovine respiratory disease and has potential for zoonotic transmission. Although nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) is a major virulence factor in influenza A and B viruses, the structure and function of IDV NS1 remain poorly defined. Here, we determined crystal structures of the IDV NS1 N-terminal RNA-binding domain (NTD) and C-terminal effector domain (CTD). The NTD retains the conserved homodimeric six-helix fold, whereas the CTD adopts a distinct architecture containing a novel Zn²⁺-binding site. IDV NS1 CTD preferentially binds single-stranded RNA, and mutagenesis identified lysine and arginine residues critical for this activity. Single-residue substitutions disrupting either the Zn²⁺-binding site or RNA-binding interface prevented recovery of infectious recombinant IDV. These findings reveal distinct structural and functional features of IDV NS1 and establish the importance of CTD integrity for viral replication. Conservation of key CTD residues in influenza C virus NS1 suggests shared structural features that distinguish influenza C and D virus NS1 proteins from their influenza A and B counterparts.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Funder Information Declared
Welch Foundation, https://ror.org/00np6vq88, C-1565
Source: BioRxIV, https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.29.760789
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
Abstract
Andes virus (ANDV) causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), with rare outbreaks involving person-to-person transmission. A human ANDV isolate from one such outbreak and a rodent isolate from the same region differ in lethality in Syrian golden hamsters. Genomic analysis revealed 25 nonsynonymous substitutions, including one leading to a T641I change in the human ANDV glycoprotein precursor near its cleavage site. Although the isolates differed in growth kinetics, strand-specific RT-qPCR did not support major differences in viral RNA synthesis, whereas virion release was delayed in the case of the human isolate. In human cell expression systems, a single I641T substitution in the human ANDV glycoprotein resulted in decreased Golgi retention and faster release of virion-like particles relative to wild-type glycoprotein. Since ANDV egress takes place at the Golgi, the T641I change present in the human ANDV isolate may represent a human adaptive mutation influencing glycoprotein trafficking and virus particle release.
Source: Science Advances Journal, https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aek2522
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
{Click on Image to Enlarge}
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By Milepost98 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=90062190
Source: Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NIR_80_Class
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
Ministry of Health REPUBLIC OF KENYA | OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL FOR HEALTH | PRESS RELEASE
DAY 32: SIX RECOVERIES AND EIGHTEEN DAYS WITHOUT A NEW CASE AS KENYA NEARS THE FINISH LINE
Nairobi, 6 November 2026
Today marks Day 32 since Kenya confirmed its first imported case of Ebola (Bundibugyo Virus Disease) on 6th October 2026.
The Ministry of Health is pleased to report that the measures put in place are working, and the country is firmly on the path to ending this outbreak.
A sixth (6th) male patient has recovered and is being discharged today, after testing negative and meeting all the criteria for discharge.
Only one (1) patient remains under care and continues to receive treatment and close monitoring.
No new case has been recorded for eighteen (18) days, since 19th October 2026.
The total number of confirmed cases remains nine (9), all from one known chain of transmission, and there has been no spread in the community.
Sixty-six (66) contacts have completed their 21 days of monitoring and returned home, and the remaining fifty-two (52) are expected to complete their quarantine by 11th November 2026.
These results did not happen by chance. Kenya followed the proven steps that stop Ebola:
° find every case early,
° isolate and treat the sick,
° trace and monitor everyone they came into contact with,
° protect health workers, and
° bury the dead safely and with dignity.
° Every person who fell ill after the first case was already under quarantine, which meant the virus had nowhere to go.
The outbreak will end in a clear, internationally agreed way. When the last patient leaves the treatment centre free of the virus, Kenya will begin a 42- day countdown, twice the longest time it takes for the illness to appear. If no new case is recorded in those 42 days, the outbreak will be declared over. Until that day, we must not let down our guard.
The Ministry sincerely thanks everyone who has made this progress possible:
° our doctors, nurses, laboratory, surveillance and burial teams, who worked at great personal risk;
° Community Health Promoters, Public Health Officers and county governments;
° the Kenyatta National Hospital and The Nairobi Hospital; the security agencies; religious and
° community leaders; and
° the media, for sharing accurate information.
We are grateful to the patients and their families, and to the contacts who stayed in quarantine for the sake of their neighbors and the entire country. We also thank our partners, including WHO, Africa CDC, UNICEF, IGAD and friendly governments, for standing with Kenya.
Staying free of Ebola, and of any other outbreak, is everyone's responsibility.
We ask every Kenyan to:
° know the signs (fever, weakness, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea or unexplained bleeding) and seek care early;
° report any sick person or unexplained death in the community;
° avoid touching the blood or body fluids of a sick person, or the body of anyone who has died of an unexplained illness;
° wash hands regularly with soap and water;
° avoid handling sick or dead wild animals or their meat; and
° welcome recovered patients and released contacts without stigma.
Ebola is still active in the region, and outbreaks in one country can quickly reach another. Kenya will keep screening travelers at all twenty-six (26) points of entry, where to date more than 760,000 travelers have been screened, and will keep its emergency operations centers and rapid response teams on alert in every county.
Travelers should truthfully complete the electronic traveler surveillance form on the UHAI Chatbot before arrival, declare any symptoms honestly, and report any illness within 21 days of arrival.
Health workers should ask every patient with fever about travel and contact history and always keep up infection prevention and control measures.
We will continue to work with our neighbors, the East African Community and Africa CDC, because no country is safe until the whole region is safe.
Kenya remains open, with no restrictions on travel, trade or public gatherings. To report a suspected case or seek information, call 719 free of charge or use the Jali WhatsApp chatbot on 0700 719 719.
We are close to the finish line. Let us stay alert, report early and keep working together until Kenya is declared Ebola-free and stays that way.
Dr. Patrick Amoth, CBS | DIRECTOR-GENERAL FOR HEALTH
Source: Facebook Page of Kenya's Ministry of Health, https://www.facebook.com/MinstryofHealthKE
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
Ann Intern Med
I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
Antiviral Res
I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
{Summary}
Situation at a glance
Yellow fever transmission continues in the WHO African Region, with recent outbreak activity concentrated in parts of West Africa.
Between 1 January and 12 October 2026, 67 confirmed cases, including 18 deaths, were recorded in nine countries in the Region: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, CĂ´te d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Togo.
The most recent outbreak activity has been concentrated in Burkina Faso, CĂ´te d’Ivoire, Ghana and Liberia, including in areas close to international borders.
Occupational and environmental exposures, including work in or near forested areas, mining activities, and other outdoor occupations, are important risk factors for yellow fever infection.
Frequent cross-border population movement, the presence of competent mosquito vectors, and uneven vaccination coverage increase the risk of further transmission and geographic spread.
Countries in the Region, supported by WHO and partners, are implementing response activities including enhanced surveillance and case investigation, laboratory testing, active case finding, risk communication and community engagement, and vaccination activities in affected and at-risk areas.
On 27 October 2026, WHO assessed the overall public health risk associated with the current yellow fever situation as moderate at the regional level.
The global risk remains low.
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Source: World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2026-DON624
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
{Summary}
Situation at a glance
Since the publication of the previous Disease Outbreak News on 23 October 2026, the Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) outbreak has expanded geographically in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
While some areas have seen a slight decline in cases, sustained, high-level transmission continues overall in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
As of 3 November 2026, a total of 10 668 confirmed cases, including 5198 deaths (crude case fatality ratio: 48.7%), have been reported across 67 health zones in eight provinces, with active transmission ongoing in 51 health zones.
The high proportion of deaths occurring in communities, especially among young children, continues to highlight challenges in early case detection and timely access to appropriate care.
Of the 512 deaths reported since 21 October, 335 occurred in communities and 177 in treatment centres.
Since the last Disease Outbreak News, no new cases have been reported from Kenya or Nigeria.
However, the high-level transmission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo indicates a continued need for readiness in the region, including cross-border surveillance, points of entry monitoring, timely case detection and coordinated preparedness and response measures.
No new country has reported cases since the last Disease Outbreak News was published, however, two countries have medically evacuated confirmed cases among citizens: Switzerland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Based on the currently available information, WHO advises against any restriction of travel to, or trade with, States Parties experiencing and/or responding to the public health event.
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Source: World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2026-DON625
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
{Summary}
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Event description
The Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo passed 10 000 confirmed cases during the reporting period and continues at a high, sustained level of transmission, driven increasingly by Nord-Kivu while Ituri remains the largest contributor.
The importation events in Kenya and Nigeria have so far remained contained: no new case has been reported in Kenya since 19 October and all secondary cases occurred among contacts already in quarantine, while no secondary case has been identified in Nigeria.
However, a one new death was reported in Kenya, bring the total number of deaths to two.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, insecurity, health-worker strikes in Bas-Uélé and Tshopo and the suspension of response activities in Bafwasende Health Zone continue to constrain surveillance and response operations.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
As of 1 November 2026, the BVD outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has affected 67 health zones across eight provinces; Yakoma Health Zone in Nord-Ubangi Province was added to the list of affected zones on 28 October.
Since External Situation Report #23, an additional 895 confirmed cases and 480 confirmed deaths have been reported, bringing the cumulative total to 10 532 confirmed cases, including 5 126 confirmed deaths [crude case fatality ratio (CFR) 48.7%].
Transmission remains highly heterogeneous across affected areas. Ituri continues to account for the largest proportion of cumulative confirmed cases (70.6%), although its relative contribution is declining, while Nord-Kivu (23.9% of cumulative cases; CFR 55.4%) accounted for 60.0% of the cases reported on 1 November.
Transmission persists at lower levels in Haut-Uélé and Tshopo.
National daily incidence rose steadily from May to its highest levels in late July and mid-August, declined through late September and has fluctuated at a high plateau since early October.
The seven-day moving average ranged between 67 and 76 confirmed cases per day during the reporting period, peaking at 76 cases per day on 29–30 October before easing to 67 on 1 November, still below the mid-August peak of 94.
Provincial trends diverge. Ituri continues its gradual decline from the late- July peak (seven-day average of 31 cases per day on 1 November, down from 38 on 19 October), while Nord-Kivu is rising again (30 cases per day, up from 26) and now reports almost as many cases as Ituri each day. HautUélé remains stable at four to five cases per day, Tshopo shows low-level but sustained transmission, and Nord-Ubangi reported its first cases in October. Bas-Uélé, Sud-Kivu and Sud-Ubangi have reported no case in the last 21 days (Figures 1 and 2).
I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
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A Turkeys for Fatteing Farm in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Region.
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Source: World Animal Health Organization, https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7963
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
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Key Points
° Multiple seasonal influenza surveillance indicators continue to increase in many parts of the country.
° This early-season influenza activity is currently higher than typically observed at this time of year, but an earlier increase in activity does not necessarily lead to a higher seasonal peak or greater overall severity.
° During Week 43 (the week ending October 31, 2026), of the 513 influenza viruses reported by public health laboratories, 502 were influenza A and 11 were influenza B. Of the 388 influenza A viruses subtyped during Week 43, 379 (97.7%) were influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, 7 (1.8%) were A(H3N2) and 2 (0.5%) were influenza A(H5).
° Since Week 21 (the week ending May 30, 2026), 83.4% of the influenza A viruses reported have been A(H1N1)pdm09 and among these, the majority have been D.3.1.1 HA subclade.
° The influenza A(H1N1) viruses detected this season are still A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses, which emerged in 2009 and have caused seasonal epidemics globally since then. Influenza viruses are constantly changing, often requiring updates to influenza vaccine viruses each season.
° Historically, influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses have changed less often than A(H3N2) viruses. Recently circulating influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses (which are in an HA subclade called "D.3.1.1") have divided into distinct groups with different genetic changes in their HA genes. We are seeing more genetic diversity among co-circulating A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses than we have before.
° It is too early to know what viruses may predominate or to say whether there might be implications on flu vaccine effectiveness this season.
° Two pediatric deaths associated with season influenza virus infection and occurring during the 2026-27 influenza season were reported to CDC this week.
° Because case investigation takes time, flu-associated deaths in children may be reported to CDC weeks after they occur; counts are preliminary and may increase. All reported cases meet the influenza-associated pediatric mortality case definition.
° The preliminary in-season severity assessment has classified the severity of influenza activity at this point in the season as low across all ages and for children (0-17years), adults (18-64 years) and older adults (65+ years). The severity assessment for the season may change as flu activity is currently increasing.
° CDC estimates that there have been at least 1,700,000 illnesses, 25,000 hospitalizations, and 1,400 deaths from flu so far this season.
° CDC’s FluSight forecasts predict a likely increase nationally in both flu hospital admissions and the percentage of emergency department visits due to flu for the week ending November 21. The number of new flu hospital admissions is forecast to range from 6,900 to 30,100 admissions, while the national percentage of emergency department visits due to flu is forecast to range from 1.6% to 6.7%.
° Annual seasonal influenza (flu) vaccination is recommended. Influenza vaccines are available for persons aged 6 months and older. People who are recommended for influenza vaccination but have not been vaccinated yet this season are encouraged to be vaccinated now.
° There are prescription flu antiviral drugs that can treat flu illness; those should be started as early as possible and are especially important for patients at higher risk for influenza complications.1
° Two confirmed cases of avian influenza A(H5) virus infection were reported to CDC this week, including one death. To date, human-to-human transmission of avian influenza A(H5) virus (H5 bird flu) has not been identified in the United States.
° Influenza viruses are among several viruses contributing to respiratory disease activity. CDC is providing updated, integrated information about COVID-19, flu, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity on a weekly basis.
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Novel Influenza A Virus Infections
° Two confirmed human infections with avian influenza A(H5) virus were reported to CDC this week, including one death. To date, human-to-human transmission of avian influenza A(H5) virus has not been identified in the United States.
° Both cases were reported by the Washington State Department of Health and occurred in adults aged ≥18 years who worked at commercial dairy cattle farms where highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus has been detected in cows.
° One individual developed respiratory symptoms during the week ending October 24, 2026 (Week 42). The patient presented to an emergency department the following week, was hospitalized, and has died. A respiratory specimen collected at the healthcare facility tested positive for influenza A and was presumptive positive for influenza A(H5) at the University of Washington. The specimen was sent to the Washington State Public Health Laboratory where influenza A(H5) was confirmed using the CDC influenza A(H5) assay. Additional testing conducted by the University of Washington determined this was an avian influenza A(H5N1) virus.
° The second individual developed conjunctivitis and sought healthcare. Specimens were collected from the individual and tested at the state public health laboratory using the CDC influenza A(H5) assay during the week ending October 31, 2026 (Week 43). Influenza A(H5) virus was confirmed by the state public health laboratory. The specimen has been shipped to CDC for additional testing.
° There has been a total of three influenza A(H5) cases in dairy workers in Washington.
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Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2026-week-43.html
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
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A(H5) detections in the past week
Time Period: October 25, 2026 - October 31, 2026
-- A(H5) Detection: 11 site(s) (2.4%)
-- No Detection: 447 site(s) (97.6%)
-- No samples: 115 site(s)
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Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/wastewater/emerging-viruses/h5.html?
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
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{YucatĂ¡n State}
As part of efforts to promote reporting, a suspicion of avian influenza at a commercial poultry production facility in the state of YucatĂ¡n was reported.
Laboratory results confirmed the presence of the high pathogenicity influenza A H5N1 virus through sequencing.
The production facility was placed under quarantine to carry out anti-epidemic measures and epidemiological surveillance of poultry and wild birds in the area.
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Source: World Animal Health Organization, https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7960
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
{Extract}
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A Poultry Farm in the Gyeonggi-do Region.
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Source: World Animal Health Organization, https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7961
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
{Summary}
Surveillance and monitoring | 6 November 2026
This report summarises influenza virological surveillance data from all 30 European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries from week 40 2025 to week 33 2026, as reported by National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) to The European Surveillance System (TESSy) at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
Executive summary
Detections
Within the reporting period, 256 967 influenza virus detections (sentinel and non-sentinel combined) were reported, of which 249 514 (97.1 %) were type A and 3 292 (1.3 %) were type B viruses; another 4 161 viruses were reported untyped.
Of the 56 946 subtyped influenza A viruses (23 % of type A viruses), 20 072 (35 %) were A(H1)pdm09 and 36 874 (65 %) were A(H3).
Of the 3 292 reported influenza type B viruses, the lineage for 372 (11 %) was determined as all falling into the B/Victoria/2/87-lineage (B/Victoria).
A(H1N1)pdm09
For A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses, 25 countries reported 6 636 haemagglutinin (HA) sequences.
Of all A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses, the majority belonged to clade 5a.2a.1, newly emerged subclade D.3.1.1 (6 270, 95 %), defined by HA substitutions R113K, A139D, E283K and K302E and which was not represented by any reporting category or reference strain defined for this season.
Within the genetic diversification of 5a.2a.1 clade, 340 (5 %) viruses belonged to subclade D.3.1, carrying HA substitutions T216A, T120A, I372V, I460T, V520A and was represented by A/Missouri/11/2025 egg- and cell-based vaccine strains for northern hemisphere 2026-2027 influenza season.
Among the 838 antigenically characterised A(H1)pdm09 viruses, the main reported categories were A/Missouri/11/2025-like, clade 5a.2a.1(D.3.1) and A/Victoria/4897/2022-like, clade 5a.2a.1(D), representing 44.2 % and 51.1 %, respectively.
In total, 6 612 A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses were assessed for antiviral susceptibility to oseltamivir and/or zanamivir and/or baloxavir marboxil by 25 countries.
Phenotypically assessed reduced and highly reduced inhibition by Oseltamivir was observed for ten (2.3 %) and three (0.7 %) of the 437 tested A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses.
Genetic substitutions associated with reduced and highly reduced inhibition by Oseltamivir were observed for 147 (2.4 %, associated with neuraminidase (NA) gene substitutions I223V and S247N mainly, or NA_I223M/T or NA_S247R) and 15 (0.2 %, associated with NA_H275Y or NA_N295S) of the 6 088 assessed viruses, respectively.
For Zanamivir, substitutions associated with reduced and highly reduced inhibition were observed for one (<0.1 %, associated with NA_S247R) and one (<0.1%, associated with NA_Q136K) of the 6 089 assessed viruses, respectively.
Out of the 4 020 assessed A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses for baloxavir marboxil, substitutions associated with reduced susceptibility were observed for four (0.1 %, associated with polymerase acidic (PA) protein gene substitutions E23G or PA_A37T or PA_E199G/K) viruses.
A(H3N2)
For A(H3N2) viruses, 25 countries reported 9 538 HA sequences.
All A(H3) HA sequences fell into clade 2a.3a.1 and there to seven different subclades.
Most viruses (8 808, 92%) fell into newly emerged subclade K (former J.2.4.1) characterised by K2N, S144N (a potential addition of an N-glycosylation site), N158D, I160K, Q173R, T328A and S378N and represented by A/Norway/8765/2025.
The remaining 719 A(H3N2) viruses belonged to subclades J.2 (83, 0.9%; which is the NH 2025-26 season vaccine strain represented by A/Croatia/10136RV/2023), J.2.2 (47, 0.5%), J.2.3 (235, 2.5%), J.2.4 (47, 0.5%) and J.2.4.2 (307, 3.2%).
Among the 1 137 antigenically characterised A(H3) viruses, the main reported categories were A/Croatia/10136RV/2023-like, subclade J.2, A/Singapore/GP20238/2024-like, subclade J.2.4 and A/Norway/8765/2025-like, subclade K, representing 43.3 %, 34.7 % and 10.6 %, respectively.
In total, 9 441 A(H3N2) viruses were assessed for antiviral susceptibility to oseltamivir and/or zanamivir and/or baloxavir marboxil by 25 countries.
Phenotypically assessed reduced inhibition to Oseltamivir was observed for one (0.2%) of the 505 tested A(H3N2), and reduced inhibition to Zanamivir was observed for one (0.2%) of 491 tested A(H3N2) viruses.
Genetic substitutions associated with reduced and highly reduced inhibition by Oseltamivir were observed for 19 (0.2%, associated with NA_S331R mainly or NA_K249E or NA_N329R) and three (<0.1%, associated with NA_E119V or NA_del245-248/247-250), respectively, of the 8 869 viruses that could be assessed.
Reduced inhibition by Zanamivir was observed for 17 (0.2%, associated with NA_S331R mainly or NA_del245-248/247-250) among the 8 883 viruses that could be assessed.
Out of the 5 397 assessed A(H3N2) viruses, substitutions associated with reduced susceptibility for baloxavir marboxil were observed for seven (0.1%, associated with PA_I38L) A(H3N2) viruses.
B/Victoria
For B/Victoria viruses, 14 countries reported 318 HA sequences.
The majority (288, 91%) of the viruses fell in the branch of subclade C.5 defined by D197E, compared with NH 2025-26 vaccine virus B/Austria/1359417/2021_Egg.
In that clade, the B/Victoria viruses fell into subclades C.5.6 (126, 40%), C.5.6.1 (89, 28%), C.5.1 (54, 17%) and C.5.7 (18, 6%).
Twenty-eight (9%) viruses represented the subclade C.3, where half of them belonged to subclade C.3.1 and half to C.3.3.
The 21 antigenically characterised B/Victoria viruses were all reported as B/Austria/1359417/2021-like, subclade C.
None of the 298 genotypically and 14 phenotypically tested B/Victoria viruses showed reduced susceptibility to neuraminidase inhibitors or baloxavir marboxil (when 250 viruses were tested for baloxavir).
Source: European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/influenza-virus-characteristics-week-40-2025-week-33-2026-eueea
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.