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.
In a technical report published today, ECDC, proposes a targeted testing approach in areas with ongoing avian influenza outbreaks in poultry and detections in wild birds and other animals, focusing on severe respiratory or unexplained neurological disease.
The situation regarding avian influenza continues to evolve in Europe and globally, with reports of new outbreaks in birds and occasional infections in mammals. Sporadic human infections have been reported in countries outside the EU, while the risk to the public in the EU remains low.
In February 2023, Cambodia reported a family cluster in Sithor Kandal district, Prey Veng province, with two people (a girl and her father) infected with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus.
On 11 January 2023, Uganda declared that the Ebola disease outbreak caused by the Sudan ebolavirus was over. The declaration was made after 42 days passed without any case reported, since the last case was released from care.
ECDC is actively monitoring the Ebola outbreak in Uganda through its epidemic intelligence activities and regular communication with Africa CDC, WHO (Ebola Disease caused by Sudan virus – Uganda) and GOARN partners.
In August 2020, Global Outbreak and Alert and Response Network (GOARN) sent a request for assistance for epidemiologists to be deployed to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to support the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak response in the Equateur Province.