Communicable disease threats report, 18-24 November 2012, week 47

Surveillance and monitoring
Publication series: Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR)

The ECDC communicable disease threats report is a weekly bulletin intended for epidemiologists and health professionals in the area of communicable disease prevention and control. Summarising information gathered by ECDC through its epidemic intelligence activities regarding communicable disease threats of concern to the European Union, it also provides updates on the global situation and changes in the epidemiology of communicable diseases with potential to affect Europe, including diseases that are the focus of eradication efforts.

Executive summary

One hundred and fifteen children are reported to have experienced adverse reactions to the BCG vaccine against tuberculosis in Romania since March 2012. At this point in time there is little information regarding the cases including the severity of the adverse effects. It is also unclear whether the numbers reported represent an unusually high number of cases or if it is in line with what might be expected with this particular vaccine. ECDC and WHO Europe are sending a mission to support the Romanian health authorities at the invitation of the Romanian Ministry of Health.

Two further cases of a novel coronavirus (HCoV-EMC) were reported this week following the three already confirmed cases. One person is being treated in Germany after initially being hospitalised in Qatar and the other is being treated in Saudi Arabia. Both are reported to be recovering. After the CDTR was finalised by ECDC, a sixth person was confirmed by the WHO as having HCoV-EMC, also in Saudi Arabia.

An usual increase in the number of the food- and water-borne illness cryptosporidiosis has been seen in a number of countries in Europe. According to affected Member States, the increase is unlikely to be due to surveillance or notification artefacts. Laboratory and epidemiological investigations into the cause(s) of the increase are ongoing. The available information from investigations does not indicate that there is a single source.

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