Communicable disease threats report, 4 March - 10 March 2012, week 10

During Week 10 (4 to 10 March 2012), ECDC monitored two public health threats across the European Union (EU).

The 2011-2012 influenza season started later than in recent past seasons and has been without any clear geographic progression. In week 9/2012, medium or higher intensity was reported by 18 countries and increasing trends by 11 countries. Bulgaria, Italy and Spain have reported decreasing trends for at least two weeks in a row and thus are the first three countries that have peaked in Europe this season. Trends are still going upwards on other EU countries, where epidemics remain dominated by A(H3) viruses although B viruses seem to be becoming more important.

Measles outbreaks or clusters of cases have been reported by 14 of the 29 reporting EU and EEA countries in 2012, indicating the start of the measles transmission season. However, the reported numbers so far this year are significantly lower compared to the corresponding period last year (584 reported measles cases in January 2012 compared with over 2000 cases during the same month in 2011). The highest numbers during the past week were noted in Romania, France, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom. In neighbouring Ukraine an ongoing major outbreak is of concern, with nearly 4500 cases reported so far in 2012.

The CDTR summarises information gathered by ECDC through its epidemic intelligence activities regarding communicable disease threats of concern to the European Union and 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.