Influenza Surveillance

Northern Nevada Public Health Influenza Surveillance

 

 

Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH) influenza surveillance is conducted year-round. Goals are to characterize the prevailing strains of influenza in the community, measure the impact of the disease in the community, and obtain and disseminate information regarding influenza activity to health care providers, the public, and those concerned with influenza control measures. Influenza surveillance consists of four major components:

• Weekly reports of influenza-like illness (ILI) to the Communicable Disease Program by selected sentinel healthcare providers. The case definition for ILI is a fever >100°F AND cough and/or sore throat. A patient with fever, chills, body aches, and nasal congestion but no cough or sore throat is not considered to meet the definition of ILI. Sentinel providers include hospital emergency rooms, urgent cares, and a student health center.
• The collection of a limited number of specimens by sentinel health care providers from persons with ILI. The purpose of the laboratory confirmation is to verify which type of influenza virus is circulating in the community.
• Monitoring of influenza mortality through death certificates.
• Routine reporting of confirmed hospitalized cases of influenza by all healthcare providers and laboratories. Pediatric influenza-associated deaths are a reportable condition in Nevada. Suspected or confirmed outbreaks of influenza are also reportable. If you suspect an influenza outbreak, report it using the NNPH secure online Outbreak Reporting form.

Starting in October 2024, influenza surveillance was no longer a stand-alone program and was incorporated into the viral respiratory program along with COVID-19 and RSV. Influenza surveillance information can now be found on NNPH’s Viral Respiratory Surveillance Program page. Previous reports for influenza (before October 2024) are available upon request at epicenter@nnph.org.