​In March 2013, Chinese authorities announced the identification of a novel reassortant A(H7N9) avian influenza virus in patients in eastern China.

​In March 2013, Chinese authorities announced the identification of a novel reassortant A(H7N9) influenza virus in patients in eastern China. Since then, human cases have continued to be reported, and as of 7 February 2014 (Figure 1), there have been 308 laboratory-confirmed cases: Zhejiang (122), Guangdong (54), Shanghai (42), Jiangsu (36), Fujian (19), Hunan (7), Jiangxi (5), Henan (4), Anhui (4) ,Beijing (3), Shandong (2), Hebei (1), Guangxi (2), Guizhou (1), Hong Kong (4) and Taiwan (2). In addition, the virus has been detected in one asymptomatic case in Beijing. 

​In August 2014, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported two laboratory-confirmed human infections with a A(H3N2) variant influenza virus of swine origin A(H3N2)v in Ohio, USA.

​The risk of transmission of avian influenza A(H5N8) to the general public in the EU/EEA countries is extremely low.

Low risk to public health in the EU from low pathogenic avian influenza A(H7N7) viruses

Epidemiological update: increase in reporting of human cases of A(H5N1) influenza, Egypt

A steep increase of human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) has been reported since the beginning of December 2016 from China. At present, the most immediate threat to EU citizens is to those living or visiting influenza A(H7N9)-affected areas in China concludes the updated rapid risk assessment.

This report describes the investigation of two cases of febrile respiratory illness caused by swine influenza A (H3N2) viruses identified on the 19th and the 26th August 2011 in two different states in the US (Indiana and Pennsylvania).

This Public Health Development is an update of an earlier Public Health Development published by ECDC on 28th October 2011 (1).

A report in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) MMWR this week describes the investigation of mild respiratory illness among swine and people at a county fair  in Indiana, USA between 8 and 14 July 2012. This is an important report as it is very clearly documents simultaneous detection of H3N2v influenza viruses in humans and swine in close contact.