On 3 October 2012, the Public Health Authority of Portugal reported two cases of dengue infection in patients residing in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, constituting the first known occurrence of locally transmitted dengue infection. As of 9 December 2012, 2 050 cases of dengue fever have been reported from Madeira. Between 3 and 9 December 2012, 57 cases were reported – representing a 44 per cent decrease from the previous week. As of 13 December 2012, 58 cases of dengue have been reported among travellers returning from Madeira since the start of the outbreak. Portugal reported ten patients; the United Kingdom 20; Germany 14; France three; Finland four; Croatia, Denmark, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Norway and Switzerland have each reported one case.

Residents and travellers visiting the island are strongly advised to take individual protective measures, like using repellents, to avoid mosquito bites. Since dengue is transmitted by a daytime mosquito (Aedes aegypti), protective measures should be applied throughout the whole day.

ECDC monitors influenza activity in Europe during the winter seasons and publishes the results on its website in the Weekly Influenza Surveillance Overview. During week 49/2012, clinical influenza activity of low intensity was notified by all 24 reporting countries, with the majority of them indicating sporadic geographic spread.

Read the full Communicable disease threats report, 9-15 December 2012, week 50

Read more:
Epidemiological update: Outbreak of dengue in Madeira (13 December 2013)
Risk assessment: Update on autochthonous dengue cases in Madeira, Portugal
Factsheet on dengue for health professionals
 Guidelines for the surveillance of invasive mosquitoes in Europe

Weekly influenza surveillance overview