Hospital-based surveillance of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus in Saudi Arabia, 2010-2016

Abdalla, Osman; Mohammed, Mutaz; Hakawi, Ahmed Mohammed; Aljifri, Alanoud; Abdalla, Mohamed; Eltigani, Sara; Mujib, Sahibzada Azhar; Assiri, Abdullah

Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 reports were continuously reviewed by a specific unit at the communicable disease control department in the Ministry of Health. The case definition used for the suspected case of pandemic influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 was "Any individual with an acute respiratory infection with fever equal to 38°C or more and cough within the last 10 days and needs hospitalization." Collected variables included number of suspected cases, the number of confirmed cases, age, gender, nationality, and outcome. The Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) and Communicable Disease Control Department collaborated to design web-based data analysis software to address public health needs during the 2009 pandemic. The software compiles, analyzes, and generates weekly and cumulative national reports. All suspected cases requiring hospitalization were tested according to the WHO Manual for the laboratory diagnosis and virological surveillance of influenza within three days of the onset of clinical symptoms. 9 The procedure for the sample collection and laboratory diagnosis are detailed on the web page for laboratory services of the province of British Columbia, Canada. 18