Chikungunya is not endemic in the EU/EEA and the majority of the cases are travellers infected outside of the EU/EEA. When the environmental conditions are favourable, in areas where Ae. albopictus is established, viraemic travel-related cases may generate a local transmission of the virus as demonstrated by the sporadic events of chikungunya virus transmission since 2007.
This case definition was published in Commission Implementing Decisions (EU) 2018/945 of 22 June 2018 on the communicable diseases and related special health issues to be covered by epidemiological surveillance as well as relevant case definitions.
An outbreak of Zika virus infections affected the Americas and the Pacific region. On 1 February 2016 WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) regarding clusters of microcephaly cases and neurological disorders in some areas affected by Zika virus.
ECDC documents on Zika preparedness in EU: Preparedness guide for diseases transmitted by Aedes; Zika virus and safety of substances of human origin, and policy briefing.
On 14-15 January 2015 an ECDC consultation gathered public health experts, entomologists and epidemiologists from Europe, as well as experts from WHO, CDC and PacNet, to review the EU preparedness to dengue and chikungunya importation and onwards transmission and produce a roadmap towards improved EU preparedness.
A team of experts from ECDC and four EU countries (France, Italy, Portugal and Spain) visited Malta from 3 to 6 July 2016 and met with staff from the Ministry of Health and key stakeholders in Malta to discuss preparedness planning for mosquito-borne diseases.