The 2010/11 seasonal influenza epidemics in Europe are dominated so far by the A(H1N1)2009 viruses which emerged in the 2009 pandemic, although these are now considered seasonal viruses. This is an interim risk assessment and will be up-dated at intervals as more data and analyses emerge.

Likely scenarios and uncertainties in the 2010/2011 influenza season in Europe and beyond.

New strain of swine influenza identified in two workers on a pig farm in Canada.  Swine influenza (SI) is an acute viral infection of the respiratory tract in pigs. Subclinical infections are also common. The mortality is low and recovery usually occurs within 7-10 days.

ECDC produces an annual risk assessment for the seasonal influenza epidemics in Europe. This is following both a recommendation in the report on the handling of the 2009 pandemic adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2011 and the model developed by ECDC during that pandemic. The first EU seasonal influenza risk assessment was published in January 2011, following the start of the influenza season in late November 2010. In 2012, the season started later than in most years, with the first five countries exceeding their epidemic threshold in week 3/2012.

ECDC has produced an annual risk assessment of the seasonal influenza epidemics in Europe since the 2010/11 season following the model developed by ECDC during the 2009 pandemic. It gives an early description of the influenza season in the countries affected earliest, providing guidance and information to countries that are affected later, as influenza progresses across Europe over several months. It describes any specifics of the season, particularly in areas where public health or clinical actions are envisaged, as well as highlights areas of uncertainty where further work is required.

First detections indicated circulation of A(H3N2) and B/Yamagata viruses. As the former subtype dominated last season, a high proportion of the population should be protected. However, the emergence of variant strains cannot be excluded and this would increase the likelihood of severe outcomes in the elderly

This document is a routine and planned risk assessment of the 2013-2014 seasonal influenza in EU/EEA countries. Active circulation of influenza has started late in Europe in the 2013-2014 season, with a different timing across EU/EEA countries, states the annual ECDC risk assessment on seasonal influenza.

This situation update for seasonal influenza uses epidemiological and virological data to assess the seasonal increase of influenza cases in relation to disease severity and impact on healthcare systems. It is designed to assist forward planning in Member States.

Surveillance data gathered since 1 October 2014 indicate that in the first ten weeks of the 2014–15 influenza season, viruses in EU/EEA countries have been predominantly A(H3N2) rather than A(H1N1)pdm09 and type B viruses.

This risk assessment covers the 2014–2015 influenza season in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA).