Monitoring and responding to HIV and hepatitis C among people who inject drugs is the focus of two new reports from the EU drugs agencies EMCDDA and ECDC.
World AIDS Day was introduced by the World Health Organization in 1988 and is observed on 1 December each year to raise awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by HIV infection.
According to new data published today by ECDC and the WHO Regional Office for Europe, more than 131 000 new HIV infections were reported in the WHO European Region in 2012, 10 000 (8%) more than in 2011. Of these new HIV infections, the countries of the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) accounted for more than 29 000 new HIV infections.
From 22 to 29 November 2013, the first European HIV testing week will take place with more than 400 organisations across Europe hosting activities to increase awareness of the benefits of HIV testing.
ECDC publishes today the results of its first point prevalence survey (PPS) on healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use in European hospitals. Based on findings from this survey, ECDC estimates that on any given day, one in 18 patients in European hospitals has at least one healthcare-associated infection. The report also presents data on the most commonly reported infections, which microorganisms are most commonly reported as causing them, how often antimicrobial drugs are being used to treat these infections and data on infection control structure and processes in the hospitals. More than 1 000 hospitals in 30 European countries participated in this first Europe-wide PPS.
ECDC today publishes a first set of reports illustrating how countries have been responding to HIV up till 2012 based on their commitment outlined in the Dublin Declaration on Partnership to Fight HIV/AIDS in Europe and Central Asia. The reports find that, on balance, political leadership in response to HIV is rather strong in the countries of the region.
WHO “SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands” is an annual campaign that makes part of major global effort to support healthcare workers to improve hand hygiene practices in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, and thus support the prevention of healthcare-associated infections.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the European Food Safety Authority launched their annual report on zoonoses and food-borne outbreaks.
New data for 2011 show that more than 121 000 new HIV cases were reported in the WHO European Region, including more than 28 000 new infections in the European Union and the European Economic Area (EU/EEA), indicating an increase for the whole Region compared to the previous year1.