Overview of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in the WHO European Region

Background

During the spring and summer of 2009, Member States in the WHO European Region continued influenza surveillance, owing to the emergence of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 at the end of the 2008/2009 winter season. With ongoing community transmission of this new virus, surveillance continued without interruption throughout the summer, and WHO/Europe has published the data in an electronic bulletin issued weekly in English and Russian.

Week 40/2009 marked the start of the new 2009/2010 influenza season with respect to reporting to WHO. This overview of the situation in the European Region during weeks 16–39/2009 summarizes the main developments during this period, gives an overview of the global situation and is intended to facilitate the interpretation of influenza data in the new season.