# 6105
Photo Credit- EuroFlu Report.
In stark contrast to this time last year - when much of Europe was seeing significant H1N1 influenza activity - reports of flu for week 3 of 2012 (while rising slowly) - remain low across Europe - and predominantly H3N2 related.
Influenza activity continues to rise slowly in the WHO European Region due to A(H3N2)
This issue is based on data for week 3/2012 reported by 46 Member States in the WHO European Region. Consultation rates for influenza-like illness (ILI) and acute respiratory infection (ARI) continue to be relatively low in most countries of the Region, but with many countries reporting increasing activity. 29 % of sentinel specimens tested positive for influenza, which is an increase over last week: 95% of these were influenza A. Of the 352 influenza A viruses from sentinel sources that were subtyped, 99 % were A(H3N2). Comment
Influenza activity has increased consistently over the past several weeks, but influenza detections remain low compared to the same period of the 2010/2011 season. Influenza A and B viruses are co-circulating in the Region, with the vast majority of detections in both outpatient clinics and hospitals being A(H3N2).
We’ll get the latest FluView and FluWatch numbers later today for the United States and Canada.
