ECDC will start monitoring disease distribution in the EU and collecting EU data through the epidemiological surveillance network comprising the European Commission, ECDC and national authorities for epidemiological surveillance.
Vector sampling protocols outlining the recommended methods for collecting vectors have been issued today by ECDC and EFSA, to support entomologists and public-health professionals in Europe. It is a first attempt to summarise best-practices in terms of methods and strategies for sampling mosquitoes, sandflies, biting midges and ticks.
Ebola cases in urban areas in the Equateur province in DRC increase the risk of spread to neighbouring countries, the risk of introduction to the EU is very low, states ECDC risk assessment published today.
Since the beginning of 2018 and as of 14 May, 2 980 autochthonous cases of dengue have been reported in Réunion. The main areas affected are in the western part of the island. The most prevalent serotype among dengue cases is DENV-2 and the main vector implicated in the outbreak is Aedes albopictus.
During the 2017 transmission season, 204 human cases and 127 equine cases were reported in the European Union. This year, for the first time, ECDC included equine West Nile fever cases in its epidemiological updates.
Recent findings on new settlements of Aedes aegypti, the main vector species of dengue, chikungunya, Zika and yellow fever, call for strengthening surveillance and vector control activities preparedness for mosquito-borne diseases.
ECDC issues new risk assessment in light of the yellow fever resurgence in Brazil (in particular in São Paulo) and the expected increasing flow of travellers during the upcoming Carnival.