Communicable disease threats report, 17-23 February 2013, week 8

No new significant public health events or threats were identified by ECDC during the week of 17-23 February.

Influenza 

The influenza season continues to see substantial influenza activity across Europe but there are some signs of decline. Nineteen of the 29 countries reporting indicated high/medium-intensity transmission and wide geographic spread of influenza during week 7. Eleven countries reported increasing trends, and ten countries reported decreasing trends, compared to thirteen countries reporting increasing trends and six reporting decreasing trends in the previous week.

Novel coronavirus

As of 22 February 2013, thirteen laboratory confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus (novel CoV) have been reported to the World Health Organization (WHO). Seven of the cases have been fatal and two others remain very ill.

ECDC published an update of its risk assessment on the novel coronavirus on 19 February. It provides a number of conclusions and recommendations as well as background information on the virus and recent cases.