As of 30 June 2023, European Union, European Economic Area and EU-neighbouring countries have reported 1 340 locally acquired human cases of West Nile virus infection, including 104 deaths, in 2022.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have decided to formally retire the EASA-ECDC joint Aviation Health Safety Protocol (AHSP), while acknowledging its significant value during the high SARS-CoV-2 circulation periods during the pandemic.
The mosquito species Aedes albopictus, a known vector of chikungunya and dengue viruses, is establishing itself further northwards and westwards in Europe, according to the latest data.
ECDC and EMA have issued a joint statement on adapted COVID-19 vaccines and considerations for their use during the upcoming autumn 2023 vaccination campaigns.
ECDC presents lessons learned from the response of Europe’s public health sector to the pandemic and highlights follow up actions addressing relevant issues which could improve Europe’s pandemic preparedness.
At the start of European Immunization Week, the ECDC report “Poliomyelitis situation update” reveals that between 2012 and 2021, approximately 2.4 million children in the EU/EEA may have not received three doses of polio-containing vaccines on time. Additionally, the newly published ECDC “Measles Annual Epidemiological Report 2022” highlights the risks when having pockets of an under-vaccinated population or groups not immunised at all.
To decrease the impact of COVID-19, and related hospitalisations and mortality, countries should plan for a continued roll-out of COVID vaccines in 2023.