WHO/Europe influenza surveillance meeting
18–20 September 2017, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation
As part of the “Trends in Influenza Research Conference” dedicated to the 50th Anniversary of the Research Institute of Influenza at the National Influenza Centre of the Russian Federation, WHO/Europe’s influenza team held an influenza surveillance meeting for Member States of eastern Europe.
The meeting discussed technical and operational issues related to influenza surveillance and control, the burden of influenza, seasonal influenza vaccination programmes, and public health measures at the human/animal interface.
The objectives of the meeting were to:
- provide an overview of global and regional developments in the control and prevention of seasonal and zoonotic influenza;
- prepare countries of eastern Europe to report surveillance data used to generate the Flu News Europe bulletin (a joint WHO/Europe-European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control publication) during the 2017–2018 influenza season;
- review studies of the burden of influenza;
- review activities conducted as part of the implementation of the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework;
- maintain and strengthen collaboration and information sharing among network members.
The participants comprised the national influenza news focal points for epidemiological and virological surveillance designated by the national health authorities.
