A novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has been isolated and considered the causative agent of the cluster of 41 pneumonia cases in the area of Wuhan, Hubei province in China, as well as of the three travel-related cases in Thailand and Japan, arriving from Wuhan.
Between 31 December and 5 January, 59 pneumonia cases possibly associated with a novel coronavirus have been reported in Wuhan, China with a common exposure link to Wuhan’s South China Seafood City market.
Between 1st February and 26th November 2019, 199 cases of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (KPC-CRE) have been detected in Lithuania.
This situation update for seasonal influenza uses epidemiological and virological data to assess the seasonal increase of influenza cases in relation to disease severity and impact on healthcare systems. It is designed to assist forward planning in Member States.
Twenty-one cases of Listeria monocytogenes IVb sequence type ST 6 infections have been reported from the Netherlands (19 cases) and Belgium (two cases). This outbreak was identified using whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis.
Spanish authorities have reported the likely sexual transmission of dengue between two men. One of the men travelled to Cuba and the Dominican Republic (both countries where dengue is endemic) and returned to Spain on 4 September 2019.
On 1 October 2019, a case of locally acquired Zika virus (ZIKV) disease in France (Hyères city, Var department) was laboratory confirmed. To date, and based on ECDC’s epidemiological assessment, the probability of ongoing vector-borne local transmission in Hyères (and surrounding areas) is considered very low because current evidence does not indicate the existence of a more extensive cluster of ZIKV cases.
Three autochthonous cases of dengue have been reported in France and Spain. The probability of further local sustained transmission remains very low, both in Spain and in France. Environmental conditions will become progressively less suitable for transmission over the autumn season.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Commission's Directorate General for Health and Food Safety jointly carried out this country visit to Estonia from 25 to 29 March 2019. The visit was carried out following the invitation from the competent authorities to assist them in the preparation of their national strategy for tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) based on a 'One Health' perspective.
In 2019, the hajj will take place between 9 and 14 August. The risk for EU/EEA citizens to become infected with communicable diseases during the 2019 hajj is considered low, thanks to the vaccination requirements for travelling to Makkah (Mecca) and the Saudi Arabian preparedness plans that address the management of health hazards during and after hajj.