WHO Plans Towards New Emerging Influenza Virus In Africa

Highly infectious and unpredictable seasonal and avian influenza viruses are emerging threats in Africa triggering WHO to guide implementation of national influenza preparedness, surveillance and control strategies to protect individuals and populations.
Influenza viruses are deadly in their own right but they are also an important cause of respiratory disease such as pneumonia, which is a major cause of death in Africa, particularly among children.

In Africa, the impact of influenza infection is not very well documented. However, the information we do have shows that influenza viruses circulating in animals (zoonotic influenza viruses, including avian influenza) pose the greatest threat to human health.
This threat is due to people not having immunity against these viruses. The concern is that influenza viruses circulating in animals could develop traits in the future which could permit them to be spread easily from person to person – possibly triggering a new influenza pandemic.
With this, there is an urgent need to better understand trends, risk factors and burdens of seasonal and zoonotic influenza viruses. These significant gaps have sparked the rapid expansion of influenza preparedness, surveillance and reporting to better protect against both seasonal and zoonotic influenza viruses.
WHO/AFRO continues to support Ministries of Health, in collaboration with Ministries of Agriculture and other governmental bodies, to protect communities and further strengthen national influenza capacities in line with the International Health Regulations (2005), Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework and within the context of the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) strategy.
To enhance influenza surveillance in the African Region, a newly published and disseminated standard operating procedure can be found at this link: Protocol for National Influenza Sentinel Surveillance