In the framework of the EU Initiative on Health Security, ECDC and the EU Member States set up an ‘Exchange of Experts’ programme aiming to provide experts from European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) partner countries with opportunities to learn from the experiences of EU Member States within specific disease areas, and in turn, share their own experiences.
EU/EEA countries are reporting an increased number of Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolates carrying the blaNDM-5 gene that makes them resistant to carbapenems, antibiotics.
Between 2018 and 2020, nearly 20 000 surgical site infections (SSIs) were reported from a total of over 1.2 million surgical procedures in 13 EU/EEA countries participating in ECDC-coordinated SSI surveillance. Over 2 500 hospitals are part of this surveillance network.
The Epidemic Intelligence Information System (EPIS) is a web-based communication platform that allows nominated public health experts to exchange technical information to assess whether current and emerging public health threats have a potential impact in the European Union (EU).
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.
Since late February 2023 and up until 30 March 2023, 87 cases of botulism linked to intragastric injection of the botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) have been reported.
Since June 2017, a persistent cross-border outbreak of Salmonella Virchow ST16 has been ongoing in five EU/EEA countries, the UK, and the US, according to a Rapid Outbreak Assessment released by ECDC and EFSA today.
Every year on 22 March, World Water Day is celebrated worldwide. World Water Day is an annual United Nations observance day that highlights the importance of fresh water. The day is used to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.
Since late February 2023 and as of 10 March 2023, 67 cases of botulism linked to intragastric injection of the botulism neurotoxin (BoNT) have been reported in Germany (12), Austria (1), Switzerland (1) and Türkiye (53).
The situation regarding avian influenza continues to evolve in Europe and globally, with reports of new outbreaks in birds and occasional infections in mammals. Sporadic human infections have been reported in countries outside the EU, while the risk to the public in the EU remains low.