https://www.zetesim.com Latest news and updates https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/the-resurgence-of-measles-in-2025/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/the-resurgence-of-measles-in-2025/ Wed, 24 Dec 2025 03:45:02 GMT Measles, one of the most contagious diseases known to humanity, was once on the brink of elimination in many parts of the world. However, the disease is currently experiencing a significant resurgence, driven primarily by gaps in vaccination coverage exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2025, measles cases have surged worldwide, reversing years of progress. Provisional data indicate rising infections across multiple regions, with outbreaks linked to low immunization rates and imported cases. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/early-signals-of-the-2025-26-northern-flu-season/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/early-signals-of-the-2025-26-northern-flu-season/ Sun, 30 Nov 2025 23:02:19 GMT Flu seasons in the Northern Hemisphere traditionally intensify in late fall, peaking between December and February as cooler weather and holiday gatherings drive people indoors. Yet, the 2025-2026 season is showing unusually early surges, with health agencies worldwide reporting low but steadily rising influenza positivity rates across the region. This accelerated start echoes patterns seen in the Southern Hemisphere earlier this year, where higher-than-average activity provided a preview of a potential strong season ahead. The dominant player is influenza A(H3N2), a subtype known for causing more severe symptoms in vulnerable groups like young children and older adults. While overall activity remains moderate in many places, the rapid uptick, coupled with a circulating variant that can sometimes slip past immune defenses, has led experts to send warnings to vulnerable groups. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/west-nile-virus-in-southern-europe/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/west-nile-virus-in-southern-europe/ Tue, 12 Aug 2025 23:40:33 GMT West Nile virus, a mosquito-borne disease, has become a notable concern in Southern Europe. Transmitted primarily by Culex mosquitoes, the disease has been increasingly reported across the region. By early August, Italy, Greece, France, Romania and Bulgaria had confirmed human infections. Italy has been the hardest hit, reporting over 170 confirmed human cases and 20 deaths until now, mostly occurring in the central Lazio region, and the rest distributed in the Northern and Southern regions. Other countries like Greece have seen cases occurring in Athens and its surrounding regions. Romania and Bulgaria also reported a handful of cases. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/the-current-covid-19-wave/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/the-current-covid-19-wave/ Mon, 28 Jul 2025 02:04:25 GMT A new wave of COVID-19 infections has affected several parts of the world during the last few months, with increases in cases observed in Asia, Australia, and Europe. Since mid-February, global case numbers have been climbing, with testing showing about 11% of samples positive across more than 70 countries, higher than rates observed a year ago. In June, over 300,000 new cases and more than 1,000 deaths were reported worldwide. This rise was particularly evident in regions like the Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia, the Western Pacific and Europe, while Africa and the Americas were seeing lower but increasing activity, with positivity rates around 2-4%. The increase is linked to new versions of the virus identified around the world earlier this year. It is worth noting that, despite the high number of cases, the number of deaths remains low and well below previous years. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/july-updates/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/july-updates/ Mon, 07 Jul 2025 11:34:32 GMT Over the past few months, Zetesim has undertaken several significant updates to enhance the functionality and user experience of our platform. These changes reflect our ongoing commitment to delivering reliable, high-quality services to our users. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/bringing-flu-forecasts-to-more-countries/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/bringing-flu-forecasts-to-more-countries/ Fri, 07 Mar 2025 09:40:56 GMT In recent months, our company has increased its local forecasts for influenza (Flu A and Flu B), enabling communities to stay informed about seasonal outbreaks. In the coming weeks, we will mark a notable step: our flu forecasts will extend to as many countries as our current COVID-19 forecasts, covering a total population of approximately 1 billion people. This expansion enables us to provide tailored, local flu insights to a greater number of people. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/an-overview-of-the-2024-25-flu-season-in-the-northern-hemisphere/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/an-overview-of-the-2024-25-flu-season-in-the-northern-hemisphere/ Fri, 07 Feb 2025 16:55:07 GMT As winter firmly grips the Northern Hemisphere, the annual influenza season seems to have reached its peak levels, with influenza A viruses taking the lead in spreading across multiple regions. The season has seen a significant circulation of both A/H3N2 and A/H1N1 strains, with A/H1N1 being the predominant strain in the United States in recent weeks, while A/H3N2 has been more prevalent in Northern Asia. The current level of influenza activity is similar to what was seen before the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting a return to traditional seasonal patterns. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/the-unexpected-side-effect-of-covid-19-lockdowns/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/the-unexpected-side-effect-of-covid-19-lockdowns/ Sat, 21 Dec 2024 00:19:15 GMT In the wake of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, an unexpected side effect has been observed: the apparent disappearance of the B/Yamagata lineage of the influenza B virus. Since March 2020, this strain has gone undetected, leading some to speculate about its extinction. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/the-shadow-of-the-unknown-an-outbreak-in-congo/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/the-shadow-of-the-unknown-an-outbreak-in-congo/ Thu, 12 Dec 2024 15:50:11 GMT In the heart of Central Africa, within the dense forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a new health crisis has emerged, casting a shadow over the area of Panzi in the Kwango province. An unidentified illness, noted for its flu-like symptoms, has claimed lives and stirred fears of a potential epidemic. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/the-growing-concern-of-the-influenza-h5n1-virus/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/the-growing-concern-of-the-influenza-h5n1-virus/ Tue, 03 Dec 2024 12:40:50 GMT The H5N1 influenza virus, also known as bird flu, has been a topic of concern for several years due to its potential to infect humans. While it primarily affects birds, there have been over 900 documented cases of human infections since 2003. The primary concern surrounding the H5N1 influenza virus is its potential to spread from person to person. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/forecasting-the-spatial-spread-of-infectious-diseases/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/forecasting-the-spatial-spread-of-infectious-diseases/ Mon, 18 Nov 2024 23:59:02 GMT The importance of understanding the spatial spread of infectious diseases has become increasingly apparent in recent years. Being able to forecast the spread of diseases is a crucial step to help individuals taking informed decisions. However, this task is far from straightforward, as it involves navigating a complex web of factors that influence how an outbreak may evolve. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/preview-of-covid-19-forecasts/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/preview-of-covid-19-forecasts/ Tue, 11 Jun 2024 08:02:32 GMT Our new set of COVID-19 forecasts, covering the United States, Canada, and several additional European countries, is close to release. While we're still ironing out a few minor issues, we wanted to give you a heads up on what to expect. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/covid-19-and-flu-forecasting-update/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/covid-19-and-flu-forecasting-update/ Fri, 10 May 2024 22:30:14 GMT We announced last month new forecasts on COVID-19 for all of the US and Canada, as well as some countries in Europe. We also announced our first forecasts for influenza. We know some of you are waiting for those forecasts: we are still working on getting them. We are collecting and analyzing large amount of data, and it is taking a bit longer than expected. We are not going to rush it, though - we want to make sure our forecasts are accurate and reliable. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/forecasts-extended-in-the-united-states-and-canada/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/forecasts-extended-in-the-united-states-and-canada/ Fri, 05 Apr 2024 23:51:20 GMT Novel estimates are now available for a larger area of the United States and Eastern Canada. We expect to cover all of the United States and Canada by the end of the month. First influenza forecasts are expected by the end of the month. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/first-estimates-for-north-eastern-united-states/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/first-estimates-for-north-eastern-united-states/ Fri, 22 Mar 2024 16:55:12 GMT We are publishing estimates for North Eastern United States. These are subject to slight corrections in the next few weeks owing to the need of further data analysis. The new estimates slightly increase the incidence in low populated areas in Europe: this increase might be the consequence of an overestimate due to the details of the data processing. We provide new maps for the United States and Europe, but these new estimates might change in the near future as we proceed with our analysis. We are working on expanding our analysis to further states in North America and Europe. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/upcoming-forecasts-for-north-eastern-us/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/upcoming-forecasts-for-north-eastern-us/ Sat, 16 Mar 2024 19:26:03 GMT Intense work for the last few months is leading to the release of forecasts for North America, starting from North Eastern US. Simulations similar to those above, showing the states of New York and New Jersey, color coded according to the estimated number of COVID19 cases, are used to make forecasts for the near future in the area. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/covid19-activity-for-southern-france/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/covid19-activity-for-southern-france/ Fri, 08 Mar 2024 23:44:47 GMT COVID19 activity is expected to maintain low levels in Southern France during March, with low number of cases, and hospital admissions, further reducing over the next two weeks. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/start-of-march-covid19-activity-for-westerncentral-europe/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/start-of-march-covid19-activity-for-westerncentral-europe/ Mon, 04 Mar 2024 21:34:51 GMT COVID19 activity slowing at the start of March in Western/Central Europe, with very low viral activity forecast for some limited areas in central Europe. We are expanding our forecasts with additional European countries. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/activity-for-westerncentral-europe/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/activity-for-westerncentral-europe/ Wed, 28 Feb 2024 14:48:42 GMT Current COVID19 activity in Western/Central Europe. Activity is measured as total estimated number of infections (symptomatic and asymptomatic). Activity remains low in Europe, after the peaks of December and January. https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/uk-covid-activity-26-feb-2024/ https://www.zetesim.com/blog/blogpost/uk-covid-activity-26-feb-2024/ Mon, 26 Feb 2024 14:48:39 GMT Estimated COVID19 activity in the United Kingdom. Low activity over all of the UK, with expected slow reduction during the next two weeks, after the peak of January.