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ECDC press release: Seasonal influenza transmission in Europe
Today ECDC publishes its risk assessment on the 2012/13 seasonal influenza epidemics in Europe. Epidemics started earlier than in the previous season and western Europe and Scandinavia were the first affected areas.
Publication
ECDC Forward look risk assessment (Update 28 October 2010): Likely scenarios and uncertainties in the 2010/2011 influenza season in Europe and beyond
Likely scenarios and uncertainties in the 2010/2011 influenza season in Europe and beyond.
Publication
Annual epidemiological report 2011 [2009 data]
Reporting on 2009 surveillance data and 2010 epidemic intelligence data
- Antimicrobial resistance
- Avian influenza virus
- Food- and waterborne diseases
- Healthcare-associated infections
- HIV infection
- Influenza in humans, avian origin
- Influenza in humans, seasonal
- Respiratory diseases
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Surveillance
- Tuberculosis
- Vaccine preventable diseases
- Viral hepatitis
Facts about influenza surveillance
The specific goal of influenza surveillance is to provide timely and high-quality data and viral isolates.
Sentinel surveillance
The clinical surveillance of influenza in the European Influenza Surveillance Network (EISN) is generally based on reports made by sentinel general practitioners. Some of the sentinel surveillance systems also include paediatricians and physicians with other specialisations. The physicians usually represent 1-5% of physicians working in the country or region.
Indicators of influenza activity
The levels of influenza activity in European countries reported by EISN members during the influenza season are based on three assessments: An indicator of the overall intensity of influenza activity in the country, An indicator of the geographical spread of influenza in the country, An indicator of trend in ILI/ARI sentinel consultations in the country compared to the previous week.
Publication
Summary report: Joint ECDC/WHO Europe Meeting on Influenza Surveillance
This report, originally published by WHO/Europe, summarizes ECDC and WHO/Europe's first joint influenza surveillance meeting, held on 7-9 June 2011 and hosted by the Slovenian Ministry of Health.
Data
Summary of the influenza 2015–2016 season in Europe
The 2015-2016 influenza season has come to an end in Europe, with almost all countries now reporting low influenza activity for a number of weeks. The season started in EU/EEA countries in week 52/2015, with the Netherlands reporting regional spread, while Sweden reported widespread activity. The season lasted for 22 weeks until week 20/2016, when the positivity rate dropped to 11%. The peak of the season - with the highest proportion of specimens tested positive (53%) - occurred in week 11/2016.
Data
Summary of the influenza 2014–2015 season in Europe
Increased influenza activity started in week 51/2014 this season when the percentage of influenza positive laboratory tests crossed the 10% threshold. The season lasted for 21 weeks until week 19/2015, when the positivity rate dropped below 10%. The peak of the season - with the highest proportion of specimens tested positive (55%) - occurred in week 07/2015. The peak varied between countries, occurring in week 04/2015 in Bulgaria and Portugal, and between weeks 05/2015 and 08/2015 in most central European countries.
Data
Summary of the influenza 2013–2014 season in Europe
Active circulation of influenza has started late in Europe in the 2013-2014 season, with a different timing across EU/EEA countries, states the annual ECDC risk assessment on seasonal influenza. The first countries affected have been Bulgaria, Greece, Portugal and Spain, where the A(H1)pdm09 influenza virus has dominated. Without any specific geographic pattern, influenza activity has since spread rapidly across Europe. In Bulgaria, Portugal and Spain, the season peaked in weeks 4 and 5/2014, while influenza activity still continues to increase in Greece.