In 2023, significant increases in the number of measles cases and outbreaks were observed globally, including in 40 of the 53 countries of the European region, and in at least ten EU/EEA countries.
An increased reporting of shigellosis cases, mainly caused by Shigella sonnei, among travellers returning from Cabo Verde has been ongoing in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA), the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US) since September 2022. This outbreak evolved rapidly during November and December 2022.
This document assesses the risk of further spread of S. sonnei amongst MSM and in the broader population in EU/EEA countries, resulting from the current increase in extensively-drug resistant S. sonnei infections.
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.
A large epidemic of measles has affected the EU/EEA Member States in the past three years, with 44 074 cases reported to ECDC by 30 Member States between 1 January 2016 and 31 March 2019.
This rapid risk assessment reviews the ongoing outbreak of measles in Romania as well as the risk of spread and epidemiological situation of measles in EU/EEA countries.
Illnesses caused by infectious diseases are common in children in schools or other childcare settings. Currently there is no common EU approach to the control of communicable diseases in schools or other childcare settings, and existing information is uncertain.
The occurrence of shigellosis among refugees is not unexpected because shigellosis is endemic in the countries they originate from, as well as in some of the countries they travel through.
An outbreak of measles involving 67 cases (median age 15 years) has been reported in the French region of Alsace, in the department of Haut-Rhin bordering Germany and Switzerland.