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.
In recent weeks, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) circulation in the EU/EEA has intensified, with increasing transmission rates in all population groups and an earlier-than-usual start of the season. Several EU/EEA countries are experiencing high RSV circulation and the number of severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) due to RSV is increasing. At this time of the year RSV infections are not unusual, however this year there is more RSV activity and it began earlier than in pre-COVID-19 seasons.
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.
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 update of ECDC’s risk assessment on MERS-CoV was triggered by the detection of a case imported into the EU/EEA from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). In this update, we reassess the risk for EU/EEA residents.
In September 2017, the Ministry of Health in Brazil declared the end of the 2016–2017 yellow fever outbreak in the country. The upsurge of human cases since December 2017 and the continuous non-human primate epizootics since September 2017 indicate a continued or resumed increase in yellow fever virus circulation in Brazil. Since January 2018, most of the yellow fever cases have been reported from São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states.
This publication assesses the risk to EU/EEA countries and citizens associated with the ongoing outbreak of yellow fever in Brazil. This is the second update of a rapid risk assessment originally produced on 25 January 2017 and updated on 13 April 2017.
First detections indicated circulation of A(H3N2) and B/Yamagata viruses. As the former subtype dominated last season, a high proportion of the population should be protected.