{
  "id": 14410493,
  "title": "Respiratory virus surveillance in the WHO African Region Epidemiological Week 39 September 21 to 27 2026",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/respiratory-virus-surveillance-in-the-who-african-region",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-14T09:08:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "WHO Africa",
    "slug": "who-africa",
    "url": "https://www.afro.who.int/publications/respiratory-virus-surveillance-who-african-region-epidemiological-week-39-september-21"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "During the 39th epidemiological week in September 2026, the World Health Organization's African Region (WHO AFR) respiratory virus surveillance reported on the findings from 18 countries. A total of 1,333 specimens were collected, with 1,232 tested for influenza. The positivity rate for influenza was 16%, resulting in 197 positive specimens. Influenza A accounted for 124 cases, with subtypes H1N1pdm09 (n = 27), H3N2 (n = 54), and unspecified A (n = 43). Influenza B was identified in 73 specimens, with Victoria lineage (n = 41) being the most prevalent. For SARS-CoV-2, 33 specimens tested positive (2.7% positivity) among 1,213 processed by 14 laboratories across the African Region. Cumulatively, the WHO AFR influenza laboratory network has analyzed 55,690 sentinel surveillance specimens for SARS-CoV-2 from week 1 to 39, with 1,459 positive cases, resulting in a cumulative positivity rate of 2.6%.",
  "summary": "Respiratory virus surveillance in the WHO African Region Epidemiological Week 39 September 21 to 27 2026 orlunwop@who.int Wed, 14/10/2026 - 10:08 During Epiweek 39, 18 countries in the WHO African region (WHO AFR) contributed virological data for analysis - Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Mauritania, Mauritius, Niger, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South…",
  "key_points": [
    "1,333 specimens collected from 18 African countries during Week 39",
    "Influenza positivity rate at 16%, 197 positive specimens identified",
    "SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate at 2.7%, 1,459 positive cases globally"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}