On 22 June 2012, a case of probable local transmission of Plasmodium vivax malaria was reported by the Greek health authorities. The patient and people who had contact with him are being investigated and control measures have been put in place according to local guidelines. ECDC is carefully monitoring the situation in Greece and is coordinating with the Hellenic Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO) to remain up to date on current epidemiological and entomological findings.

Investigations are ongoing in an outbreak of aseptic meningitis linked to a kindergarten in Suceava city in northern Romania as reported by the Romanian Ministry of Health. Media have reported additional cases with a total of 110 reported cases by 28 June and quoting local officials saying that the outbreak is caused by Coxsackievirus B2. Enterovirus (non-polio) outbreaks occur usually during the summer and early autumn periods in many countries. Thus, the outbreak reported by Romania is not unexpected. Further information can be found in ECDC’s rapid risk assessment.

A community outbreak of Legionnaires' disease was identified in Edinburgh, Scotland. As of 20 June, 48 confirmed cases and 47 suspected cases have been reported, of which 13 were hospitalised by 28 June. Two patients with confirmed Legionnaires’ disease died. Industrial cooling towers have been identified as a potential source of infection and the cooling systems at some facilities in the area have been subject to microbiological monitoring and chemical treatment. Further inspections of these facilities are being carried out by Edinburgh City Council and the Health and Safety Executive to ensure control measures implemented by local health authorities are effective.
As Legionnaires’ disease cannot be transmitted from human to human, the risk remains limited to people having been in the affected areas of Edinburgh.

ECDC and EpiNorth continued to collaborate closely on enhanced epidemic intelligence activities during this UEFA EURO 2012, in contact with the Polish and Ukrainian health authorities. No public health events requesting central level response were reported in week 26.

Read the full ECDC CDTR week 26

Read more on the ECDC website:

Epidemiological update: Local case of malaria in Greece, June 22 2012

Legionellosis

European Legionnaires’ Disease Surveillance Network (ELDSNet)