ECDC monitors and reports on influenza transmission and virus circulation in Europe on a weekly basis throughout the flu season, in collaboration with WHO Regional Office for Europe, in the report Flu News Europe.
WHO/Europe launched the Flu Awareness Campaign initiative in 2013 as an extension of European Immunization Week. The Campaign aims at increasing uptake of seasonal influenza vaccination in risk groups.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended the composition of the trivalent influenza vaccine for the southern hemisphere winter 2018 influenza season in a report published 28 September 2017.
An ECDC expert opinion concludes that there is clear evidence supporting the use of neuraminidase inhibitors in the treatment and prevention of influenza. Moreover, the current recommendations in European countries on the use of the neuraminidase inhibitors oseltamivir and zanamivir are appropriate and should be applied by prescribing physicians.
Up to 50 million people a year are estimated to have symptomatic influenza in EU/EEA countries and between 15 000 – 70 000 are estimated to die from influenza associated causes.
Since the last update by ECDC in its risk assessment of 11 June 2015, 18 new cases and one death in a previously reported case have been reported by South Korean authorities.
A steep increase of human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) has been reported since the beginning of December 2016 from China. At present, the most immediate threat to EU citizens is to those living or visiting influenza A(H7N9)-affected areas in China concludes the updated rapid risk assessment.
Chlamydia infection, campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis, gonorrhoea and tuberculosis were the most commonly reported notifiable infectious diseases in the EU and EEA in 2014.
In a large community study (Flu Watch), cohorts were prospectively studied across the UK during six periods (2006-2010) with the main aim to compare the burden and the severity of seasonal and pandemic influenza across different age groups over time.