This document provides practical guidance to EU/EEA Member States willing to implement a pilot study for the harmonised and coordinated targeted genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 at selected international points of entry (PoE), to complement national and international genomic surveillance.
In a Threat Assessment Brief released today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) assesses the overall level of risk to the EU/EEA associated with the spread of the Omicron XBB.1.5 SARS-CoV-2 sub-lineage as low for the general population.
XBB.1.5 is a sub-lineage of the SARS-CoV-2 lineage XBB, and is currently estimated to have a large growth advantage over previously circulating lineages in North America (109%) and Europe (113%).
This document aims to provide guidance for public health and laboratory experts in identifying human infections with animal influenza viruses as early as possible to provide early warning and inform risk assessments and public health measures.