This document aims to provide guidance for public health and laboratory experts in identifying human infections with animal influenza viruses as early as possible to provide early warning and inform risk assessments and public health measures.
This report presents the results of the eighth round of the external quality assessment (EQA-8) scheme for Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) typing, organised for national public health reference laboratories (NPHRLs) providing data to the Food- and Waterborne Diseases and Zoonoses Network (FWD-Net), managed by ECDC.
Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent flu is by getting a flu vaccine each year.
This report presents the results of the European External Influenza Quality Assessment Programme 2020 for influenza reference laboratories in the WHO European Region, designed and prepared by the contractor and funded by ECDC and WHO Regional Office for Europe.
As of 20 January 2022, the Omicron variant has been identified in all EU/EEA countries. From 20 December 2021 to 9 January 2022, there were 23 EU/EEA countries with adequate sequencing volume that reported an estimated prevalence of Omicron VOC of 69.4%.
From 20 December 2021 to 2 January 2022, there were 21 EU/EEA countries with adequate sequencing volume that reported an estimated prevalence of Omicron VOC of 46%.
This is the fifth survey assessing the capacity and needs of laboratories in the EU/EEA, with a focus on antigenic characterisation capability and capacity for SARS-CoV-2 viruses.