This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) the period 17-23 March 2024 and includes updates on SARS-CoV-2 variant classification, hepatitis A, pertussis, invasive Group A streptococcal infection, chikungunya, dengue, poliomyelitis, western equine encephalitis and cholera.
During the 2023 West Nile virus transmission season, and as of 4 January 2024, 709 locally acquired human cases of West Nile virus infection, including 67 deaths, were reported by nine European Union countries.
As of 4 January 2024, 728 human cases of West Nile virus infection were reported, of which 709 were locally acquired and 19 were travel-associated. In 2023, seven EU countries reported 153 outbreaks among equids and eight EU countries reported 251 outbreaks among birds.
Distribution of human West Nile virus infections in NUTS 3 or GAUL 1 regions of the EU/EEA and neighbouring countries during 2013-2023, as of 4th January.
Distribution of human and animal West Nile virus infections in NUTS 3 or GAUL 1 regions of the EU/EEA and neighbouring countries during the 2023 season, as of 4th January.
The food-borne infections listeriosis and shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli are increasing in the EU/EEA and were in 2022 at levels higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2022, 30 EU/EEA countries reported 4 548 cases of hepatitis A. The EU/EEA notification rate was one case per 100 000 population. Twenty EU/EEA countries had notification rates below one case per 100 000 population. The countries with the highest notification rates were Hungary (5.5), Croatia (5.3) Romania (4.8), and Bulgaria (4.4).
Arenaviruses are a type of small virus commonly found in rodents. When a person becomes infected with an arenavirus, symptoms usually begin within 10 days.