# 3699
The WHO (World Health Organization) has released their latest update on the pandemic. The information in these updates is useful, but could hardly be called `complete’.
The WHO is reliant on the surveillance and reporting abilities of each member nation, and so case counts, and death totals, are only `the tip of the iceberg’ of the real situation. You’ll notice the disclaimer under the chart, and the notation that these totals are `AT LEAST’ the number indicated.
What we know is that over 254,206 people have tested positive (but testing has nearly halted in most countries), and at least 2837 deaths have been recorded.
Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 64
Weekly update
Tropical regions of South and Southeast Asia continue to experience geographically regional or widespread influenza activity (represented by countries such as India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia). Many countries in the region are reporting increasing or sustained high levels of respiratory disease, and a few (Thailand and Brunei Darussalam) have begun to report a declining trend in the level of respiratory diseases.
In tropical regions of Central America and the Caribbean (represented by countries such as Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Cuba), influenza activity continues to be geographically regional or widespread, however, most are now reporting a declining trend in the level of respiratory diseases.
Countries in the equatorial and tropical regions of South America (represented by Ecuador, Venzezuela, Peru, and parts of Brazil) continue to experience geographically regional or widespread influenza activity, with many reporting an increasing trend in the level of respiratory diseases.
Although many countries in temperate regions of the southern hemisphere (Chile, Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand) have passed the peak of their winter influenza epidemic, sustained influenza activity continues to be reported in South Africa and in the Southern and Western parts of Australia.
Laboratory surveillance update
Qualitative indicators (Week 29 to Week 34: 13 July - 23 August 2009)
The qualitative indicators monitor: the global geographic spread of influenza, trends in acute respiratory diseases, the intensity of respiratory disease activity, and the impact of the pandemic on health-care services.
Human infection with pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus: updated interim WHO guidance on global surveillance
A description of WHO pandemic monitoring and surveillance objectives and methods can be found in the updated interim WHO guidance for the surveillance of human infection with pandemic (H1N1) virus.
The maps below display information on the qualitative indicators reported during weeks 29 to 34. Information is available for approximately 60 countries each week. Implementation of this monitoring system is ongoing and completeness of reporting is expected to increase over time.
List of definitions of qualitative indicators
Geographic spread of influenza activity
Map timelineTrend of respiratory diseases activity compared to the previous week
Map timelineIntensity of acute respiratory diseases in the population
Map timelineImpact on health care services
Map timelineLaboratory-confirmed cases of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 as officially reported to WHO by States Parties to the IHR (2005) as of 30 August 2009
Map of affected countries and deaths as of 30 August 2009The countries and overseas territories/communities that have newly reported their first pandemic (H1N1) 2009 confirmed case(s) since the last web update (No. 63) as of 30 August 2009 are:
Zimbabwe and Djibouti.
