The recent heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding in Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands has caused substantial damage and has taken a high number of human lives. Outbreaks of waterborne infections are possible, and displacement may pose health risks.
A sizeable proportion of Salmonella and Campylobacter bacteria is still resistant to antibiotics commonly used in humans and animals, as in previous years, says a report released today by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
In August 2020, Global Outbreak and Alert and Response Network (GOARN) sent a request for assistance for epidemiologists to be deployed to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to support the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak response in the Equateur Province.
A collaborative study between ECDC, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) for Listeria monocytogenes* found a relatively high degree of dissemination of certain listeriosis bacteria in the food chain and in the human population across the European Union (EU).
ECDC has developed an operational guidance to support countries in their efforts and to harmonise the overall approach taken to PrEP implementation in the region.
The number of reported human cases of illness caused by Campylobacter and Salmonella bacteria across Europe appears to have stabilised over the past five years, according to the latest report on zoonotic diseases by EFSA and ECDC.
As of 14 February 2021, seven cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) have been reported in Guinea, including three deaths. Among these cases, three have been laboratory-confirmed at the national reference laboratory. Four cases remain in isolation at healthcare facilities.
As of 14 February 2021, four cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including two deaths, have been reported in the North Kivu province in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where a large outbreak was declared over in June 2020. Two health zones are currently affected: Biena and Katwa.
One of the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals is to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. Still, 2 094 AIDS cases were reported in the EU/EEA during 2019. This shows a significant problem with late diagnosis of HIV infection. Detecting HIV only years after the infection is one reason for on-going transmission in Europe. One in every four AIDS cases occurred long after HIV diagnosis, indicating insufficient linkage to HIV care, access to antiretroviral treatment and adherence support.