Influenza Virus Net is the web resource for anyone interested in influenza and flu pandemics. The objectives of Influenza Virus Net are to be the public and professional information resource for influenza and to serve as a network in the exchange of information and news related to influenza.

Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae (the influenza viruses), that affects humans, birds and other mammals. The virus spreads easily from person to person. Influenza circulates worldwide and can affect anybody in any age group. Influenza causes annual epidemics that peak during winter in temperate regions. Influenza is a serious public health problem that causes severe illnesses and deaths for higher risk populations. The most common symptoms of the disease are chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness/fatigue and general discomfort. Sore throat, fever and coughs are the most frequent symptoms. In more serious cases, influenza causes pneumonia, which can be fatal, particularly for the young and the elderly. An influenza epidemic can take an economic toll through lost workforce productivity, and strain health services. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent infection.

• First Flu-Related Death In Santa Clara County This Season - KRON 4
  Tue, 27 Jan 2015 22:55:
• Increase in flu cases keep Chennai doctors busy - Times of India
  Tue, 27 Jan 2015 22:53:
• Santa Clara County's first flu death of season - Gilroy Dispatch
  Tue, 27 Jan 2015 22:52:
• Flu deaths climb to 27, officials say - Arkansas Online
  Tue, 27 Jan 2015 22:45:
• US Flu Season at Epidemic Threshold - HCPLive
  Tue, 27 Jan 2015 22:36:
• New influenza cases down in Allegheny, Beaver counties - Timesonline.com
  Tue, 27 Jan 2015 22:35:
• Flu season reaching a peak, most avoid the bug - Inland Empire News
  Tue, 27 Jan 2015 22:34:
• Flu deaths spike in Idaho - KTVB
  Tue, 27 Jan 2015 22:33:
• It's flu season— how can I stay healthy? - The Coloradoan
  Tue, 27 Jan 2015 22:29:
• David Luchini of Fresno County health dept. with flu prevention tips - Fresno Bee
  Tue, 27 Jan 2015 22:29:

• PRO/AH/EDR> Influenza (04): Taiwan, fatal, A(H3N2)
  Tue, 27 Jan 2015 13:16:20
  Swine Flu H3N2 -- Taiwan
  A 2-year-old boy died in Taiwan last week [15 Jan 2015] of the H3N2 flu, which killed more than 30 people in Hong Kong this month [January 2015], the authorities said [Fri 23 Jan 2015]. The boy, who had been vaccinated against the flu, nevertheless still succumbed to what might have been the 2nd deadly case of an H3N2 virus, according to the [Taiwan] Centers for Disease Control. The previous victim was a man older than 90, with neither case being protected by the vaccines because they [were


• PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (23): poultry, Taiwan, Nigeria, HPAI H5, India, RFI
  Tue, 27 Jan 2015 01:51:51
  Avian Influenza -- Taiwan
  The Council of Agriculture has imposed a 4-day ban on killing chickens, ducks and geese in a bid to prevent the spread of the avian flu among poultry; more than half a million birds have been culled due to infections.
  Taiwan announced on 23 Jan 2015 a ban on the killing of chickens, ducks and geese at the nation's 100 slaughterhouses for a 2nd time starting this weekend as an avian influenza outbreak continues to affect more farms.
  Focus Taiwan reports that Chen Bao-ji, the head of the


• PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (23): poultry, Taiwan, Nigeria, HPAI H5, India, RFI
  Tue, 27 Jan 2015 01:51:51
  Avian Influenza -- Nigeria
  The Council of Agriculture has imposed a 4-day ban on killing chickens, ducks and geese in a bid to prevent the spread of the avian flu among poultry; more than half a million birds have been culled due to infections.
  Taiwan announced on 23 Jan 2015 a ban on the killing of chickens, ducks and geese at the nation's 100 slaughterhouses for a 2nd time starting this weekend as an avian influenza outbreak continues to affect more farms.
  Focus Taiwan reports that Chen Bao-ji, the head of the


• PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (23): poultry, Taiwan, Nigeria, HPAI H5, India, RFI
  Tue, 27 Jan 2015 01:51:51
  Avian Influenza -- India
  The Council of Agriculture has imposed a 4-day ban on killing chickens, ducks and geese in a bid to prevent the spread of the avian flu among poultry; more than half a million birds have been culled due to infections.
  Taiwan announced on 23 Jan 2015 a ban on the killing of chickens, ducks and geese at the nation's 100 slaughterhouses for a 2nd time starting this weekend as an avian influenza outbreak continues to affect more farms.
  Focus Taiwan reports that Chen Bao-ji, the head of the


• PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (22): USA (CA), turkey, HPAI H5N8, OIE
  Mon, 26 Jan 2015 23:36:20
  Avian Influenza H5N8 -- California, United States
  Information received on 26 Jan 2015 from Dr John Clifford, deputy administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, USA
  Summary
  Report type: follow-up report No. 5
  Date of start of the event: 10 Dec 2014
  Date of pre-confirmation of the event: 14 Dec 2014
  Report date: 25 Jan 2015
  Reason for notification: reoccurrence of a listed disease
  Date of previous occurrence: 2004
  Manifestation of disease: clinical disease
  Causal


• PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza, human (23): China (GD) H7N9, Canada 1st case
  Mon, 26 Jan 2015 23:20:58
  Avian Influenza H7N9 -- Guangdong Province, China
  The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (26 Jan 2015) closely monitoring 2 additional human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) notified by the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province (GDHFPC), and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food, and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.
  According to the GDHFPC, the male patient aged 52 in Jieyang and the female patient aged 20 in Shanwei were hospitalised