C.D.C. (Europe)

ECDC has developed a new framework for the prevention of infectious diseases, which is based on social and behavioural sciences, health promotion, health literacy and health education, and which provides an extra focus on socio-economic risk factors.

Additional cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), a potentially life threatening tick-borne viral disease, have been reported in the EU/EEA, according to new data published by ECDC. Experts have warned of an increased risk of transmission on the continent.

During 2023 and until April 2024, EU/EEA countries have reported nearly 60 000 cases, a more than 10-fold increase compared to 2022 and 2021.

An ECDC expert was in Zambia from 25 March to support in the response to the recent cholera outbreak as part of and funded by the ‘ECDC for Africa CDC’ project.

The Head of ECDC's Emergency Preparedness and Response section, Thomas Hofmann, visited Africa CDC on 25 and 26 of April to meet Dr. Merawi Aragaw, Head of Surveillance, and other experts involved in the ECDC4AfricaCDC project.

Today, the ECDC, ECHA, EEA, EFSA and EMA published a joint framework for action to strengthen cooperation to support the implementation of the One Health agenda in the European Union (EU).

World Hand Hygiene Day is marked every year on 5 May, to raise awareness of the importance of handwashing to prevent the spread of infections.

Each year, 4.3 million patients in hospitals in the EU/EEA acquire at least one healthcare-associated infection during their stay in the hospital.

On 30 April 2024, the European Commission has issued three new calls for applications for EU Reference Laboratories (EURLs) in public health.

From 23–26 April 2024, experts from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) met in Stockholm, Sweden, to exchange expertise on surveillance, data management and epidemic intelligence.

A prolonged genomic cluster of 20 human Listeria monocytogenes ST1607 infections has been reported to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, with cases identified in Denmark (17), Germany (1), and Italy (2) since 2019.

Recent ECDC data show that despite progress in prevention and control efforts, the hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses (HBV and HCV) continue to pose significant public health challenges in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA).

The annual European Scientific Conference on Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology (ESCAIDE) is taking place in Stockholm and online from 20-22 November 2024.

The 2024 Rapid Assessment and Survey Methods module brought together fellows in Dublin, Ireland, for a five-day training course.

European Immunization Week (EIW) is marked across Europe every year in the final week of April. It aims to raise awareness of the importance of immunisation for the general health and well-being of the European and wider population.

In connection with the European Immunization Week, ECDC releases data indicating an increase in cases of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and pertussis, after decreased levels during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout 2023, ECDC and its partner countries worked to enhance the regional workforce under the EU Initiative on Health Security.

In April, ECDC completed a technical visit to Serbia focused on strengthening the country's disease surveillance capabilities.

Significant disruptions were observed in HIV-specific services, particularly for in-clinic and community-based HIV testing, according to the ECDC report "The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the HIV response in Europe and Central Asia."

Public health institutes across Europe increasingly recognise the value of examining public health trends and imagining what the future may look like according to different scenarios.