Pacific Syndromic Surveillance System Weekly Bulletin / Système de Surveillance Syndromique dans le Pacifique - Bulletin Hebdomadaire: W26 2023 (Jun 26 - Jul 02)

Alerts:

• AFR: Fiji (6)
• COVID-19: CNMI (28), Palau (5) Solomon Islands (1)
• Influenza-like Illness (ILI): Niue

Influenza-like Illness (ILI)

PSSS, EPI -- WK 26, 2023 Influenza-like Illness (ILI) cases compared to WK 25, 2023 ILI cases are as tabulated as below for comparison. For an added perspective on the figures and trends percentage, country sentinel sites reporting for WKs 25 & 26 are also shown. Please refer Seasonal Influenzafor Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) - ILI Surveillance

• Actual increase in the number of ILI cases has been seen in Niue, Pitcairn Islands, Cook Islands, Tonga, FSM, CNMI, and Fiji. The increased ILI cases seen in New Caledonia may be to the increased number of sites reporting for the week.

• The reduction in the number of ILI cases has been seen in Solomon Islands, Wallis & Futuna and Palau. The decreased ILI cases seen in Samoa and Vanuatu may be due to the decreased number of sites reporting for the week.

• No changes in number of ILI cases in RMI for the week.

• No reports were available from Kiribati, Tokelau and Tuvalu for the week.

• American Samoa and Nauru have not participated in the surveillance.

• Surveillance figures are not intended to capture all country cases but to describe trends over time and are invaluable when trends rise beyond country baselines which should then trigger alerts and timely actions to characterize the actual nature and magnitude of the disease.

• Avian Influenza Weekly Update:

Influenza

• FSM has reported a total of eight (8) cases of influenza B out of 14 specimens since May 2023, which marks the beginning of the outbreak. (FSM Surveillance weekly report WK26)

• On week 26, Guam virological surveillance reported a 1.2% positivity rate for influenza for the year. A total of 4,227 samples were tested, resulting 52 confirmed influenza cases in the half of the year. Out of these cases, 35 were identified as influenza A, while 17 were Influenza B. Furthermore, out of the total influenza cases 14 individuals required admission to the hospital (SARI cases). Tragically, one death was recorded, and the deceased individual tested positive to influenza A. (Situation report 7 -/07//2023). (GMHA & GRMC Syndromic Surveillance MMWR weeks 1-26, 2023)

• French Polynesia Ministry of Health has reported that the incidence of ILI and influenza cases has now returned to low levels. For W26, 2 newly confirmed influenza cases were seen including 1 hospital admission. Eight (8) deaths have been attributed to influenza for the season. A combination of influenza A(H1N1), influenza A(H3N2) and influenza B/ Victoria lineage was seen with a predominance of influenza A. Source: Bulletin de surveillance sanitaire Polynésie française N°25 - 2023 -WK26/2023