By Betty Désir

PORT-AU-PRINCE, May 14, 2012 (IPS) - Almost three months after the seat was left vacant when the former prime minister resigned due to disagreements and political wrangling with the president, as of Monday, Haiti finally has a new prime minister.

Businessman Laurent Salvador Lamothe, 39, will succeed Dr. Gary Conille who served in the important post for only four months. The doctor – who has also worked for several United Nations agencies around the world – resigned in February because of disagreements with President Michel Martelly, elected in May 2011.

The information contained within this update is obtained from data provided by Ministries of Health of Member States and National Influenza Centers through reports sent to Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) or updates on their web pages.

Weekly Summary

- In North America, acute respiratory disease activity continued to decrease and is lower than expected in some areas

- In the Caribbean, all countries reported unchanged and decreasing trends in acute respiratory disease, except Barbados, which reported an increasing trend

- Central America reported decreasing

The information contained within this update is obtained from data provided by Ministries of Health of Member States and National Influenza Centers through reports sent to Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) or updates on their web pages.

Weekly Update

- In North America, acute respiratory disease activity remained above what is expected for this time of year; however, overall trends in acute respiratory disease are decreasing

- In the Caribbean, variable trends in acute respiratory disease are being reported

- Central America reported decreasing

Epidemiological summary of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 virus - Ontario, Canada, June 2009

Background

In March and April 2009, a novel strain of influenza A (H1N1) virus was detected in Mexico and the United States. The virus has since spread worldwide, and there have been >340 000 laboratory-confirmed cases and >4100 deaths reported to WHO as of 27 September 2009. Given the evidence of sustained community-level outbreaks of novel influenza A (H1N1) in >1 WHO region, WHO declared a global pandemic of influenza

The information contained within this update is obtained from data provided by Ministries of Health of Member States and National Influenza Centers through reports sent to Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) or updates on their web pages.

I- Evolution of the pandemic

North America

Widespread influenza activity and increased trends in acute respiratory disease continued this week.

In Canada, the national influenza-like illness (ILI) consultation rate increased again relative to the last week and remained above average for the fifth consecutive week. There was another

The information contained within this update is obtained from data provided by Ministries of Health of Member States and National Influenza Centers through reports sent to Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) or updates on their web pages.

I- Evolution of the pandemic

North America

Widespread influenza activity and increased trends in acute respiratory disease continued this week.

In Canada, the national influenza-like illness (ILI) consultation rate increased again relative to the last week and remained above average for the fourth consecutive week. There was a

The information contained within this update is obtained from data provided by Ministries of Health of Member States and National Influenza Centers through reports sent to Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) or updates on their web pages.

I- Evolution of the pandemic

North America

In Canada, Mexico, and the United States, trends in acute respiratory disease continued to increase and the intensity of such diseases remained high this week. Canada has experienced increased national rate of ILI consultation, above what is expected for this time of year since EW 37.

Summary of the situation reported during the last week

- 8,869 new confirmed cases (146,016 cumulative cases in 35 countries).

- 158 new confirmed deaths (3,292 confirmed deaths in 25 countries).

- 98.9% of the influenza A viruses that were subtyped were pandemic (H1N1) 2009.

- South America experienced low intensity and a decrease or unchanged trend

- North America experienced an increasing trend despite low intensity of acute respiratory disease everywhere except for Mexico

- Central America experienced low or moderate intensity and a decreasing trend.

This report was prepared based on the indicators in the document Human infection with pandemic (H1N1)2009 virus: updated interim WHO guidance on global surveillance available at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/notes/h1n1_surveillance_20090710/en/index.html

The qualitative indicators for surveillance of the Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 are described in Table 3 of this report. The information presented herein has been obtained through the official sites