To assess the level of preparedness of EU/EEA Member States to respond to zoonotic avian flu outbreaks, ECDC has carried out two surveys - one assessing the laboratory capacity for molecular diagnosis and characterisation of zoonotic influenza viruses, and the other focusing on measures applied to protect exposed people during outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
The aim of this survey was to review the expertise, capabilities and capacities for detection and characterisation of avian and other zoonotic influenza viruses in national influenza reference laboratories in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA), in members of the European Reference Laboratories for influenza (ERLINet), and in EU Enlargement policy countries.
This scientific report provides an overview of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus detections in poultry, captive birds, wild birds, and mammals that occurred in and outside Europe between 2 September and 1 December 2023, as well as human cases due to avian influenza viruses up until 1 December 2023.
This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 3-9 December 2023 and includes updates on respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA, SARS-CoV-2 variant classification, measles, mpox, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, West Nile virus, and MERS-CoV.