Gert van der Hoek
In Memoriam - Editor, Senior Moderator
No recent confirmed case reported until 12/07/2011
See also this recent report from Greece.
The weekly report provides timely information about the number of reported cases of West Niles virus (WNV) infection in humans and their spatial distribution in the EU Member States and bordering countries. The information is provided by EU Member States and bordering countries and will be updated on a weekly basis. The data refer to autochthonous human cases of WNV infection only.
Weekly update on cases of West Nile fever in Europe
In 2010, human cases of West Nile fever were reported in several EU countries Romania,
Hungary, Italy, Spain and Greece. In Greece, a large outbreak affected the northern part of the
country in Central Macedonia with 262 human cases and 35 deaths reported. At the same time,
outbreaks of West Nile fever were also reported from Turkey and Russia. A map depicting the
reported cases in the transmission period 2010 (June – October) can be found here: West Nile
map 2010.
The implementation of control measures for ensuring blood safety during outbreaks of West Nile
fever in humans is a major issue for national competent authorities. According to the EU Blood
Directive, efforts should be made to defer all blood donations from affected areas with ongoing
West Nile virus transmission. Challenges to the implementation of this blood directive include
the impact that such deferrals can have on blood supplies as well as availability of timely and
accurate information about affected areas.
The objective of this project is to make national competent authorities for blood safety aware of
affected areas to enable them to apply the blood safety EU regulation.
To achieve this objective, ECDC provides, for the 2011 transmission season (June – October),
weekly updates on reported cases of West Nile fever in humans in the EU Member States and
bordering countries (i.e. those included in the WHO European Region and/or bordering the
Mediterranean Sea). The updates are based on information obtained from the countries’ health
authorities, and refer only to human autochthonous cases of West Nile fever.
The weekly updated map shows in red the areas reporting at least one confirmed human case in
2011. The information is displayed at different spatial scales according to the countries’ reporting
procedures.
• For EU/EFTA and EU candidate countries, the displayed administrative levels correspond to
those defined by EUROSTAT as NUTS 0, NUTS 2 or NUTS 3 (the country,
state/province/county and department/commune levels, respectively).
• For the non-EU/EFTA countries, the Global Administrative Unit Layers are used. (See GAUL
disclaimer)
Areas where no cases have been reported during the current year are coloured in dark grey.
Countries not covered by the weekly updates are coloured in light grey.
West Nile fever in humans is a notifiable disease at the European Union (EU) level according to
European Commission Decision 2009/312/EC; the case definition is outlined in Commission
Decision of 28/IV/2008. More information about the disease is available on the ECDC website:
please see West Nile fever factsheet.
ECDC
See also this recent report from Greece.
The weekly report provides timely information about the number of reported cases of West Niles virus (WNV) infection in humans and their spatial distribution in the EU Member States and bordering countries. The information is provided by EU Member States and bordering countries and will be updated on a weekly basis. The data refer to autochthonous human cases of WNV infection only.
Weekly update on cases of West Nile fever in Europe
In 2010, human cases of West Nile fever were reported in several EU countries Romania,
Hungary, Italy, Spain and Greece. In Greece, a large outbreak affected the northern part of the
country in Central Macedonia with 262 human cases and 35 deaths reported. At the same time,
outbreaks of West Nile fever were also reported from Turkey and Russia. A map depicting the
reported cases in the transmission period 2010 (June – October) can be found here: West Nile
map 2010.
The implementation of control measures for ensuring blood safety during outbreaks of West Nile
fever in humans is a major issue for national competent authorities. According to the EU Blood
Directive, efforts should be made to defer all blood donations from affected areas with ongoing
West Nile virus transmission. Challenges to the implementation of this blood directive include
the impact that such deferrals can have on blood supplies as well as availability of timely and
accurate information about affected areas.
The objective of this project is to make national competent authorities for blood safety aware of
affected areas to enable them to apply the blood safety EU regulation.
To achieve this objective, ECDC provides, for the 2011 transmission season (June – October),
weekly updates on reported cases of West Nile fever in humans in the EU Member States and
bordering countries (i.e. those included in the WHO European Region and/or bordering the
Mediterranean Sea). The updates are based on information obtained from the countries’ health
authorities, and refer only to human autochthonous cases of West Nile fever.
The weekly updated map shows in red the areas reporting at least one confirmed human case in
2011. The information is displayed at different spatial scales according to the countries’ reporting
procedures.
• For EU/EFTA and EU candidate countries, the displayed administrative levels correspond to
those defined by EUROSTAT as NUTS 0, NUTS 2 or NUTS 3 (the country,
state/province/county and department/commune levels, respectively).
• For the non-EU/EFTA countries, the Global Administrative Unit Layers are used. (See GAUL
disclaimer)
Areas where no cases have been reported during the current year are coloured in dark grey.
Countries not covered by the weekly updates are coloured in light grey.
West Nile fever in humans is a notifiable disease at the European Union (EU) level according to
European Commission Decision 2009/312/EC; the case definition is outlined in Commission
Decision of 28/IV/2008. More information about the disease is available on the ECDC website:
please see West Nile fever factsheet.
ECDC
