WHO: H1N1 flu widespread in South Asia

GENEVA, Switzerland, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Indonesia report regional or widespread H1N1 flu, World Health Organization officials say.

Pandemic H1N1 influenza continues to be the predominant circulating flu virus, both in the Northern and Southern hemispheres, WHO officials say.

Many tropical regions of South Asia and Southeastern Asia report increased or sustained high levels of respiratory disease, but Thailand and Brunei Darussalam report a declining trend.

In tropical regions of Central America and the Caribbean, flu activity continues to be geographically regional or widespread.

Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru and parts of Brazil report regional or widespread flu activity, with some reporting an increasing trend in the level of respiratory diseases.

However, Chile, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand have passed the peak of their winter influenza epidemic. Influenza continues in South Africa and in parts of Australia.

In the Northern hemisphere, flu activity continues to increase in Japan, indicating an early beginning to its annual influenza season. In Canada and the United States, influenza remains low overall, however regional increases are detected in the Southeastern United States, WHO officials say.

Little flu activity is being reported in Europe or in central and western Asia. A few countries are reporting geographically widespread flu activity -- Austria and Israel, for example -- or an increasing trend in respiratory diseases -- such as the Netherlands and Romania.