29 July 2009

South Africa to Host a WHO Regional Conference on Pandemic Influenza August 11-13

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The World Health Organization (WHO) African Regional Off= ice (AFRO) has posted on their website homepage the news that a 3-day “Regional Conference on Pandemic Influenza” will be held in Johannesburg, South= Africa August 11-13.

Sou= th Africa has the largest number of lab-confirmed cases of pandemic (H1N1) /2009 influenza cases in the WHO/AFRO area, with 151 cases out of the total 221 cases in 13 nations that have at least one case in the WHO/AFRO area. Kenya<= /st1:country-region> has 22 cases, Algeri= a 14 cases and the other ten nations fewer lab-confirmed cases as of the 28 J= uly update.

The full report on the August 11-13 conference in Joburg= and lab-confirmed pandemic H1N1 cases in the WHO/AFRO area can be found at: www.afro.who.int

The 3-day conference is planned to be comprehensive in i= ts presentations and discussions on pandemic H1N1 influenza issues. For example, specific areas that w= ill be included are: lab testing and surveillance, clinical management and infecti= on control, risk communication strategies, vaccines, global perspectives and lessons learned from Mexico and other areas harder hit (i.e., many more lab-confirmed cases) by the pandemic to date than the WHO/AFRO area.

This should be a very timely and important conference, t= he results of which will hopefully be well-publicized internationally.

Daniel R. Lucey, MD, MPH

EROne Institutes, Department of Emergency Medicine<= /o:p>

Was= hington Hospital Center=

Geo= rgetown University Medical<= /st1:PlaceName> Center=

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