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.
Europe has agreed on measures to be applied in aviation in response to the specific localised worsening of the COVID-19 epidemiological situation in China, making recommendations which could potentially also be applied in other geographical regions in similar situations.
On 11 January 2023, Uganda declared that the Ebola disease outbreak caused by the Sudan ebolavirus was over. The declaration was made after 42 days passed without any case reported, since the last case was released from care.
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%).
The number of COVID-19 cases has reached a record high in mainland China, peaking on 2 December 2022. In the past three weeks, incidence has fallen, likely also due to a lower number of tests being carried out, resulting in fewer infections being detected.
Since the end of October 2022 and as of week 47, several EU/EEA countries have indicated an increase in paediatric hospitalisations due to RSV infections causing bronchiolitis, amidst concurrent circulation of other respiratory pathogens, such as the influenza and SARS-CoV-2 viruses.
The 2022-2023 influenza (flu) season epidemic is off to an early start in the European region as concerns over Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) rise and COVID-19 is still being a threat.