Thursday, March 31, 2011

Do you have a runny nose?

Most likely this is not flu. Flu season is over in the Western Hemisphere and almost over on the East.
Google trends (on the right) show low activity in line with actual epidemiological data. As of March 20 (end of week # 11, 2011), flu activity in Europe and Russia is decreasing, and the peak is over in 38 countries of the region. Flu levels remain moderate in Armenia, Georgia, Serbia, some areas of Russia, and Ukraine where the percentage testing positive for influenza is 58%. The UK analyzed most of the viruses screened and identified 3% viruses resistant to oseltamivir but still sensitive to zanamivir.
Idaho was the last US state to get over flu in March, right after Nevada told it good bye.
Flu is almost over, but  allergies are on the rise. High pollen levels, mostly from trees, are bad news for seasonal allergy sufferers.
National Allergy Forecast Map
Tree Pollen in US in March
Knowing what is going on in your area, including flu and pollen levels, will help you to determine the reason for your scratchy throat or headaches. Additional clues include if you feel it in your nose (cold) or behind the nose (allergy), if you have itchiness (allergy) or fever (cold).

Also, flu attacks you gradually while with allergies you get all the symptoms at once. 


The EuroFlu bulletin describes and comments on influenza activity in the 53 countries in the WHO European Region. 










A = Dominant virus A
H1N1 = Dominant virus A(H1N1)
H3N2 = Dominant virus A(H3N2)
H1N2 = Dominant virus A(H1N2)
B = Dominant virus B
A & B = Dominant virus A & B

= : stable clinical activity
+ : increasing clinical activity
- : decreasing clinical activity

Low = no influenza activity or influenza at baseline levels
Medium = usual levels of influenza activity
High = higher than usual levels of influenza activity
Very high = particularly severe levels of influenza activity

No activity = no evidence of influenza virus activity (clinical activity remains at baseline levels)
Sporadic = isolated cases of laboratory confirmed influenza infection
Local outbreak = increased influenza activity in local areas (e.g. a city) within a region,
or outbreaks in two or more institutions (e.g. schools) within a region. Laboratory confirmed.
Regional activity = influenza activity above baseline levels in one or more regions with
a population comprising less than 50% of the country's total population. Laboratory confirmed.
Widespread = influenza activity above baseline levels in one or more regions with a population
comprising 50% or more of the country's population. Laboratory confirmed.










Intensity Geographic
Spread
Impact Sentinel
swabs
Percentage
positive
Dominant
type
ILI per
100,000
ARI per
100,000
Sentinel
SARI
Virology graph
and pie chart
ArmeniaMediumLocalLow20%None0.0 (graphs)106.8 (graphs)






sari
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AustriaLowSporadicLow2751.9%Type A, Subtype pH1N117.9 (graphs)3.0 (graphs)
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AzerbaijanLowSporadicLow190%Type A and B352.8 (graphs)


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BelarusLowSporadicLow3915.4%Type A, Subtype pH1

1211.0 (graphs)
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BelgiumLowSporadic



56.9 (graphs)1486.9 (graphs)
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Bosnia and Herzegovina




Type A, Subtype pH1
(graphs)


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BulgariaLowLocal
20%None0.0 (graphs)886.1 (graphs)
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CroatiaMediumWidespreadLow

Type A, Subtype pH133.8 (graphs)


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CyprusLowSporadicLow


1.9 * (graphs)4.7 * (graphs)
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Czech Republic


2657.7%Type B

(graphs)
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DenmarkLowSporadic
20%None66.8 (graphs)0.0 (graphs)
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EnglandLowSporadic
2516.0%None7.4 (graphs)408.8 (graphs)
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EstoniaMediumLocal
2825.0%None12.5 (graphs)333.6 (graphs)
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FranceLowSporadicLow250%None0.0 (graphs)1213.3 (graphs)
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GeorgiaMediumWidespreadModerate3287.5%Type B and Type A, Subtype pH1428.1 (graphs)








sari
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GermanyLowRegional
12258.2%Type B0.0 (graphs)1085.4 (graphs)
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GreeceLowLocal
1330.8%Type A, Subtype pH1N196.6 (graphs)0.0 (graphs)
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HungaryLowSporadicLow1926.3%Type B and Type A, Subtype pH1102.9 (graphs)0.0 (graphs)
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IcelandMediumRegionalModerate00%
56.6 (graphs)0.0 (graphs)
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IrelandLowSporadicLow911.1%None5.9 (graphs)0.0 (graphs)
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IsraelLowSporadicLow2114.3%Type A and B8.8 (graphs)


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ItalyLowRegionalLow1926.3%Type A197.9 (graphs)0.0 (graphs)
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KazakhstanMediumLocalLow5100.0%None1.4 (graphs)179.5 (graphs)






sari
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Kyrgyzstan


70%None

(graphs)






sari
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LatviaLowRegional
00%Type B (graphs)


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LithuaniaMediumWidespreadLow100%None75.5 (graphs)777.4 (graphs)
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LuxembourgLowSporadic
1421.4%Type B and Type A, Subtype pH11.0 * (graphs)20.8 * (graphs)
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The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia




None
(graphs)


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MaltaMediumSporadicLow00%
10.0 * (graphs)0 * (graphs)






sari
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Montenegro





21.2 (graphs)


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Netherlands


1729.4%None (graphs)


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Northern IrelandLowSporadic
00%None14.4 (graphs)328.7 (graphs)
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NorwayLowSporadic
1100.0%Type B and Type A, Subtype pH1N151.1 (graphs)0.0 (graphs)
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PolandMediumRegional
3627.8%Type B and Type A, Subtype pH199.7 (graphs)0.0 (graphs)
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PortugalLowNone
40%None6.7 (graphs)0.0 (graphs)
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Republic of MoldovaMediumSporadicModerate2240.9%Type B and Type A, Subtype pH1N18.1 (graphs)229.3 (graphs)






sari
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RomaniaMediumLocalModerate2441.7%Type B22.8 (graphs)1078.2 (graphs)






sari
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Russian FederationMediumSporadicLow4531.1%Type A, Subtype pH15.5 (graphs)695.3 (graphs)






sari
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ScotlandLowSporadicLow2516.0%Type B2.3 (graphs)242.7 (graphs)
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SerbiaMediumRegionalLow1100.0%None117.3 (graphs)








sari
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SlovakiaMediumSporadicLow540.0%Type A, Subtype pH1257.8 (graphs)1830.7 (graphs)
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SloveniaMediumLocal
850.0%Type B and Type A, Subtype pH18.5 (graphs)1008.7 (graphs)
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SpainLowSporadic
10816.7%Type B31.0 (graphs)0.0 (graphs)
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SwedenMediumWidespreadLow160%Type B5.7 (graphs)0.0 (graphs)
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SwitzerlandLowLocal
1163.6%Type B and Type A, Subtype pH1102.4 (graphs)


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TurkeyLowSporadicLow11237.5%None6.0 (graphs)


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UkraineMediumLocalLow110%Type A, Subtype pH15.2 * (graphs)624.6 (graphs)






sari
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UzbekistanLowSporadicLow

None

(graphs)
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Europe


91232.7%




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