The ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) is a weekly bulletin for epidemiologists and health professionals on active public health threats. This issue covers the period 1-7 September 2019 and includes updates on Ebola virus disease, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, poliomyelitis, tularaemia, Vibrio growth in the Baltic Sea and West Nile virus.
The ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) is a weekly bulletin for epidemiologists and health professionals on active public health threats. This issue covers the period from 11 to 17 August 2019 and includes updates on Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, chikungunya virus disease and dengue, monitoring environmental sustainability of Vibrio growth in the Baltic Sea, the mass gathering of the Hajj in Saudi Arabia, tularaemia in Sweden and West Nile virus infection.
Dutch health authorities have recently reported an increase of hepatitis A infections particularly affecting men who have sex with men. With the on-going Pride events across Europe, ECDC stresses the importance of ensuring hepatitis A vaccination, (advice for) safer sex and personal hygiene practices including washing hands and genital areas before and after sex to avoid infection.
For 2017, 447 cases of tularaemia were reported by 18 countries in the EU/EEA, 413 (92%) of which were confirmed. As in previous years, the proportion of cases among males was higher in all age groups, with a male-to-female ratio of 2.1:1. Notification rates in men and women increased with age (except for the age group ≥65 years). The highest rate was observed in men in the age group 45–64 years (0.2 cases per 100 000 population).
In 2019, the hajj will take place between 9 and 14 August. The risk for EU/EEA citizens to become infected with communicable diseases during the 2019 hajj is considered low, thanks to the vaccination requirements for travelling to Makkah (Mecca) and the Saudi Arabian preparedness plans that address the management of health hazards during and after hajj.