In a bid to enhance collaboration and share best practices in HIV prevention and control, representatives from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Cyprus, and Egypt convened in Cairo for the first Exchange of Experts meeting in 2024.
To assess the level of preparedness of EU/EEA Member States to respond to zoonotic avian flu outbreaks, ECDC has carried out two surveys - one assessing the laboratory capacity for molecular diagnosis and characterisation of zoonotic influenza viruses, and the other focusing on measures applied to protect exposed people during outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
As autumn moves to winter, the WHO/Europe, EC and ECDC are issuing a clear, urgent message: people who remain unprotected against both COVID-19 and seasonal influenza – especially the most vulnerable and at-risk – should take up any offer for vaccination to prevent or mitigate the impact of these co-circulating respiratory infections.
Progress towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 is variable across the region, and most countries in Europe and Central Asia are currently far from achieving the 2025 targets.