Influenza virus sharing is essential to prepare the world against pandemics. Virus sharing also enables the development of candidate vaccine viruses, surveillance for resistance to antiviral medicines, and revision of diagnostic reagents and test kits. Owing to the ongoing conflict in Yemen, the country has been unable to share virus samples every year with the WHO Collaborating Centers under the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS). 

However, in May 2024 Yemen succeeded for the first time in shipping the first 50 samples of seasonal influenza viruses to the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza in London, in the United Kingdom. This milestone was made possible by WHO’s continuous support to the country over several years.