Early outcomes of pandemic influenza [H1N1] 2009 surveillance in Abu Dhabi Emirate, May-August 2009

ABSTRACT

Soon after the initial detection of cases of pandemic H1N1 infection in Mexico, a new H1N1 surveillance system was set up in Abu Dhabi Emirate in May 2009. This paper reports on the outbreak from May to August 2009. A total of 356 cases were confirmed from 20 May 2009 to 16 August 2009. The incidence of confirmed H1N1 cases was 18.5 per 100 000. Their ages ranged from < 1 month to 62 years, with a median age of 20 years. The incidence was 18.6 per 100 000 among both males and females. The incidence among United Arab Emirates nationals was higher than expatriates [66.6 versus 5.2 per 100 000]. No death attributable to H1N1 was reported. A low-grade H1N1 infection evolved in the Emirate with an incidence lower than some other countries, possibly because of the pandemic being in the early stages, perhaps coupled with under-reporting