This document assesses the risk related to dengue for EU/EEA citizens travelling to or residing in Réunion, and the risk related to having an outbreak of dengue in mainland EU/EEA following introduction of the virus from Réunion.
Spanish authorities have reported the likely sexual transmission of dengue between two men. One of the men travelled to Cuba and the Dominican Republic (both countries where dengue is endemic) and returned to Spain on 4 September 2019.
On 1 October 2019, a case of locally acquired Zika virus (ZIKV) disease in France (Hyères city, Var department) was laboratory confirmed. To date, and based on ECDC’s epidemiological assessment, the probability of ongoing vector-borne local transmission in Hyères (and surrounding areas) is considered very low because current evidence does not indicate the existence of a more extensive cluster of ZIKV cases.
Three autochthonous cases of dengue have been reported in France and Spain. The probability of further local sustained transmission remains very low, both in Spain and in France. Environmental conditions will become progressively less suitable for transmission over the autumn season.
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.
This update of the risk assessment ‘Dengue outbreak in Réunion, France’ published on 5 July 2018, has been triggered by the significant size of the outbreak and its expected duration, which is anticipated to overlap with high vector activity in the southern EU.
Since the epidemic in the Americas peaked in the early spring of 2016, a continuous decline in the number of reported Zika virus disease cases has been observed in the majority of countries throughout the Americas and the Caribbean.
Surveillance of infectious diseases in the aftermath of a cyclone is important for the early detection and confirmation of outbreaks. Consideration should be given to setting up a syndromic surveillance alert system if there is a need to reinforce surveillance capacity. Laboratory capacity should be assessed for confirming outbreaks of infectious diseases; if required, a referral mechanism can be established for testing samples of epidemic-prone diseases.
This rapid risk assessment (RRA) addresses the risk of importation of Rift Valley fever (RVF) virus (RVFV) and further spread of the virus within the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) in relation to the recent increase in cases reported on Mayotte, France.