Tuberculosis surveillance and monitoring in Europe 2024 – 2022 data

This report provides an overview of the latest tuberculosis (TB) epidemiological situation and is published jointly by the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. In 2022, a little over 170 000 incident TB cases were notified in countries of the WHO European Region, a slight increase from 2021. The increase in 2022 is likely due to a good recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic in access to and provision of TB services in many countries and the introduction of active TB case-finding activities. Despite the notable progress achieved in the fight against TB, countries still face various challenges in reaching the goal of ending the TB epidemic in the WHO European Region. Monitoring progress towards the targets of the new Tuberculosis action plan for the WHO European Region 2023–2030 is difficult due to limited or no reporting on some indicators. Further improvement of data completeness and representativeness should be the focus for all countries.

HIV/AIDS surveillance in Europe 2023 – 2022 data

This report presents HIV/AIDS surveillance data for 2022, a year marked by increased population movementsacross Europe that have had an impact on HIV trends, particularly in European Union/European Economic Area(EU/EEA) countries.

Tuberculosis surveillance and monitoring in Europe 2023: 2021 data

This report provides an overview of the latest tuberculosis (TB) epidemiological situation and is published jointly by the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Despite the slight recovery of 1.1% in 2021 compared to 2020, the European Region still recorded 23% fewer new and relapse TB cases in 2021 than in 2019. Notwithstanding the potential issues of underdiagnosis and underreporting which continued throughout 2021, 166 026 incident TB cases were notified in the European Region. The epidemic patterns and trends vary widely – with an incidence level of under 10 per 100 000 population achieved in European Union/European Economic Area countries, while overall the Region still has nine of the 30 countries with the highest multidrug-resistant TB burden in the world.

Influenza virus characterization: summary report, Europe, December 2022

The November 2022 characterization report was the second report for the 2022-2023 influenza season. As of week 52/2022, 109 321 detections had been reported. Of these detections, 94% were type A viruses, with A(H3N2) and A(H1N1)pdm09 showing near equal proportions, 51% and 49% respectively, and 6% type B of which 707 were ascribed to a lineage, with all being B/Victoria. This represents a 5-fold increase in detections compared to the 2021-2022 season, despite only a modest increase (5%) in the number of samples tested. The epidemic threshold of 10% positivity within sentinel specimens was crossed in week 45/2022.

Influenza virus characterization: summary report, Europe, November 2022

Seven shipments from countries within the WHO European Region were received at the London WHO Collaborating Centre, the Francis Crick Worldwide Influenza Centre (WIC) since the October report. This report focuses on viruses with collection dates after 31 August 2022 for which HA gene sequences were submitted to, and released in, the EpiFluTM database of the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) in November 2022, together with sequences and antigenic data generated at the WIC.

HIV/AIDS surveillance in Europe: 2022 – 2021 data

HIV transmission remains a major public health concern and affects more than 2.3 million people in the WHO European Region, particularly in the Eastern part of the Region. This report is the latest in a series published jointly by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the WHO Regional Office for Europe that has been reporting data on HIV and AIDS in the WHO European Region and in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) since 2007. It finds that while epidemic patterns and trends vary widely across European countries, nearly 107 000 peo¬ple were diagnosed with HIV in the European Region in 2022, including around 17 000 in the EU/EEA.

Influenza virus characterization: summary report, Europe, October 2022

The September 2022 characterization report gave a breakdown of influenza detections across the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region reported to TESSy up to week 39/2022 to complete the 2021–2022 season. This is the first report for the 2022–2023 influenza season. As of week 43/2022, 4 052 detections had been reported, resulting from extended late 2021–2022 season influenza activity. Of these detections, 87% were type A viruses, with A(H3N2) dominating (71%) over A(H1N1)pdm09 (29%), and 13% type B of which 105 were ascribed to a lineage, with all being B/Victoria. This represents a 7-fold increase in detections compared to the 2021-2022 season, despite only a modest increase (3%) in the number of samples tested. While there were clear indications of an influenza epidemic in 2021–2022 with the epidemic threshold of 10% positivity within sentinel specimens having been crossed for 17 weeks, following an approximate two year period of low influenza virus circulation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, indications are that there will be an early start to the 2022–2023 season and a more intense epidemic than in 2021–2022.

Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in Europe, 2021 data: executive summary

The results presented in this executive summary are based on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data from invasive isolates reported to the Central Asian and European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance (CAESAR) network and the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-Net) in 2022 (data referring to 2021)

Influenza virus characterization: summary report, Europe, September 2022

This is the ninth and final report for the 2021-2022 influenza season. The July 2022 characterisation report1, gave a breakdown of influenza detections across the World Health Organisation (WHO) European Region reported to TESSy up to week 30/2022. As of week 39/2022, 149 372 detections had been reported, resulting from extended late season influenza activity. Of these 149 372 detections, 98% were type A viruses, with A(H3N2) dominating (91%) over A(H1N1)pdm09 (9%), and 2% type B of which only 156 were ascribed to a lineage, with all but two being B/Victoria. This represents a large increase (148 096, 117-fold ) in detections compared to the 2020-2021 season, on the back of a great increase (1 957 744, 151%) in the number of samples tested. However, while there have been clear indications of an influenza epidemic in 2021-2022 with the epidemic threshold of 10% positivity within sentinel specimens having been crossed for 17 weeks (unlike in 2020-2021), numbers of detections are reduced compared to earlier seasons (e.g., 9.4% reduced compared to 2019-2020, when the number of samples tested was over 3-fold lower). The increased testing but reduced number of influenza detections is undoubtedly related to the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 and measures introduced to combat it.

Influenza virus characterization: summary report, Europe, July 2022

This is the eighth report for the 2021-2022 influenza season. The June 2022 characterization report, gave a breakdown of influenza detections across the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region reported to TESSy up to week 25/2022. As of week 30/2022, 145 913 detections had been reported (a rise of nearly 13 000 since week 20/2022) resulting from extended late season influenza activity. Of these 145 913 detections, 98% were type A viruses, with A(H3N2) still dominating (84%) over A(H1N1)pdm09 (16%), but by a lower margin than in the June report (92%:8%), and 2% type B of which only 134 were ascribed to a lineage, with all but two being B/Victoria. This represents a large increase (144 903, 144-fold) in detections compared to the 2020-2021 season, on the back of a great increase (1 926 053, 176%) in the number of samples tested. However, while there have been clear indications of an influenza epidemic in 2021-2022 with the epidemic threshold of 10% positivity within sentinel specimens having been crossed for 17 weeks as of week 25/2022 (unlike in 2020-2021), numbers of detections are reduced compared to earlier seasons (e.g., 12% reduced compared to 2019-2020). The increased testing but reduced number of influenza detections is undoubtedly related to the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 and measures introduced to combat it.

Influenza virus characterization: summary report, Europe, June 2022

This is the seventh report for the 2021-2022 influenza season. The May 2022 characterization report, gave a breakdown of influenza detections across the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region reported to TESSy up to week 20/2022. As of week 25/2022, 138 352 detections had been reported (a rise of over 5 000 since week 20/2022) resulting from extended late season influenza activity. Of these 138 352 detections, 98% were type A viruses, with A(H3N2) (92%) dominating over A(H1N1)pdm09 (8%), and 2% type B of which only 125 were ascribed to a lineage, with all but two being B/Victoria. This represents a large increase (137 418, 148-fold ) in detections compared to the 2020-2021 season, on the back of a great increase (1 900 146, 200%) in the number of samples tested. However, while there have been clear indications of an influenza epidemic in 2021-2022 with the epidemic threshold of 10% positivity within sentinel specimens having been crossed for 17 weeks as of week 25/2022 (unlike in 2020-2021), numbers of detections are reduced compared to earlier seasons (e.g., 16% reduced compared to 2019-2020). The increased testing but reduced number of influenza detections is undoubtedly related to the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 and measures introduced to combat it.

Influenza virus characterization: summary report, Europe, May 2022

This is the sixth report for the 2021-2022 influenza season. The March 2022 characterization report, gave a breakdown of influenza detections across the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region reported to TESSy up to week 13/2022. As of week 20/2022, 133 099 detections had been reported (a rise of over 42 000 since week 13/2022) resulting from extended late season influenza activity. Of these 133 099 detections, 98% were type A viruses, with A(H3N2) (92%) dominating over A(H1N1)pdm09 (8%), and 2% type B of which only 111 were ascribed to a lineage, with all but four being B/Victoria. This represents a large increase (132 190, 146-fold) in detections compared to the 2020-2021 season, on the back of a great increase (1 724 858, 194%) in the number of samples tested. However, while there have been clear indications of an influenza epidemic in 2021-2022 with the epidemic threshold of 10% positivity within sentinel specimens having been crossed for 17 weeks as of week 20/2022 (unlike in 2020-2021), numbers of detections are reduced compared to earlier seasons (e.g., 19% reduced compared to 2019-2020). The increased testing but reduced number of influenza detections is undoubtedly related to the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 and measures introduced to combat it.

Methods for the detection and characterisation of SARS-CoV-2 variants: second update, 21 June 2022

This document aims to provide interim guidance for microbiology and virology experts, other laboratory professionals, laboratory managers, infectious disease programme managers, public health professionals and other stakeholders that provide primary, confirmatory or advanced testing for SARS-CoV-2, including genomic sequencing, or are involved in making decisions on establishing or scaling up capability and capacity to detect and characterize circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Operational considerations for respiratory virus surveillance in Europe, 18 July 2022

This document outlines operational considerations to support the continuity of national surveillance systems and public health laboratories for epidemiological and virological surveillance for influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and potentially other respiratory viruses (such as RSV or new viruses of public health concern) in the 2022/2023 winter season and beyond. It builds on previously published documents on COVID-19 and influenza surveillance. The intended audience for this document is those with national responsibility for influenza and COVID-19 surveillance in Europe.

COVID-19 contact tracing: country experiences and way forward: meeting report

Contact tracing has been a cornerstone of countries’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it remains a key strategy for interrupting chains of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and reducing COVID-19-associated morbidity and mortality. Although the pandemic is not over, many countries are transitioning towards a more sustainable and integrated approach to the COVID-19 response. Contact tracing systems are adjusting and need to be adapted further to reflect this change in the long term. This meeting on COVID-19 Contact Tracing jointly organized by WHO/Europe and ECDC was held online on 1 March 2022. The meeting brought together COVID-19 Contact Tracing experts from 39 countries and territories from the WHO European Region, including 24 European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) countries. The full list of participating countries is in annex 1. The meeting focused on two key topics: (i) experiences, challenges and solutions related to COVID-19 contact tracing, and (ii) how contact tracing can be better integrated in health systems strengthening and pandemic preparedness planning moving forward. Two breakout sessions were organised to allow all countries the opportunity to actively engage in discussions related to topics above.