Joint ECDC-WHO/Europe Annual European Influenza Surveillance Meeting, 2016
The WHO Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) were jointly organising the annual influenza surveillance meeting.
The aim of the meeting was to discuss technical and operational issues related to influenza surveillance, seasonal influenza vaccination programs, and risk assessment and outbreak response.
The main objectives of the meeting were to:
- Provide an overview of the 2015/2016 influenza season, with respect to epidemiology, virology and vaccination, and discuss opportunities and challenges related to influenza surveillance for the upcoming 2016/2017 influenza season;
- Present new developments with respect to the joint ECDC-WHO/Europe Flu News Europe bulletin;
- Provide an overview of the global situation regarding influenza as well as global surveillance developments;
- Maintain and strengthen collaboration and information sharing among network members.
The meeting participants were epidemiological and virological surveillance experts nominated by national health authorities, as well as representatives from international institutions, covering 53 countries of the EU/EEA and WHO European region. The meeting was by invitation only.
More about seasonal influenza
Disease page
Seasonal influenza
Seasonal influenza is a preventable infectious disease with mostly respiratory symptoms. It is caused by influenza virus and is easily transmitted, predominantly via the droplet and contact routes and by indirect spread from respiratory secretions on hands etc.
European Influenza Surveillance Network (EISN)
The network combines epidemiological and virological surveillance of influenza.
Objectives for integrated surveillance of respiratory viruses at EU level
There are general objectives for integrated surveillance of respiratory viruses in the European Union. These objectives apply to surveillance of influenza, COVID-19, and other respiratory virus infections.
Surveillance for seasonal influenza
Latest surveillance reports and disease data on seasonal influenza; Flu News Europe, Influenza virus characterisation reports, ECDC Surveillance Atlas, Annual Epidemiological Reports.