Building the Future of Biodefense

Recommendation: Influenza can impact employee absenteeism due to illness or caregiving duties. Organizations in Denmark should provide flexible work schedules to support employees making vaccine appointments for themselves or family members.

Situation: Health officials reported an unusually early outbreak of influenza A, linked to the Smukfest music festival in Skanderborg in early August. Several cases of the H1N1 strain were traced to festival attendees, with lab tests showing an almost identical virus. This is the 1st time in 15 years of monitoring that an influenza outbreak has occurred this early in the year. National cases rose from 19 to 115 in week 33, confirming the outbreak. The virus resembles the 2024/25 strain but has some unique changes. Officials are closely monitoring the situation, though no further increase has been reported this week. [Confidence: Very High]

Recommendation: Organizations in West Hawai‘i County, Hawaii, should provide flexible work schedules to support employees making vaccine appointments for themselves or family members. Measles is highly contagious and can quickly spread among unvaccinated individuals in a work environment.

Situation: Health officials reported a detection of the measles virus in wastewater in West Hawai‘i County, Hawaii, in a sample collected on 8/11. The detection suggests that at least 1 individual in the community or traveling through the community around that time was infectious with measles. No suspected measles cases have been reported in the county as of 8/27. Health officials warned that the wastewater detection serves as an early indicator that the virus may be present in the community and advised the public to review their vaccination status and to get vaccinated. Hawaii reported 2 measles cases earlier this year in April (see PHC alerts 4/16 and 4/9). [Confidence: Very High]