Latest news with #EuropeanCentreforDiseasePreventionandControl
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Europe suffers its largest diphtheria outbreak in 70 years
The largest diphtheria outbreak to strike Western Europe in 70 years has been affecting vulnerable people such as migrants and the homeless since 2022, new research said Wednesday. Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infection that can attack the respiratory tract and spread throughout the body, causing a sore throat, fever and other symptoms. For unvaccinated people, it can be fatal in around 30 percent of cases, and is deadlier for children, according to the World Health Organization. In 2022, there was an unusual surge in the bacteria that causes diphtheria -- Corynebacterium diphtheriae -- in several European countries, particularly among recently arrived migrants, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine. That year 362 cases were recorded by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Contact tracing and screening helped tamp down the outbreak, but rare infections have continued to be recorded, the researchers said. A total of 536 cases, including three deaths, have been recorded across Europe since the start of 2022. Patient samples from 10 countries showed that 98 percent of the cases were in males with an average age of 18. Almost all had recently migrated. "The outbreak, which mainly affected migrants from Afghanistan and Syria, was not the result of people being infected in their countries of origin, but during their migration journeys or in their places of accommodation in European countries," said a joint statement from France's public health agency and the Pasteur Institute. The genetic similarities between the strains seen in people from different countries suggests that there was a "recent point of contact, outside the country of origin" at the source of the outbreak, the statement added. The exact areas affected by the outbreak remains unclear. But a genetic link between the 2022 strain and the one detected in Germany this year indicates that "the bacteria continues to circulate quietly in Western Europe," the statement said. Vaccination is very effective at fending off diphtheria, and the researchers emphasised the importance of immunisation programmes for the general public. They also called for European nations to do more to ensure their most vulnerable people avoid contracting the disease. That included raising awareness of the symptoms among doctors and those in contact with migrants and the homeless, as well as increasing access to vaccines and antibiotic drugs.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Europe suffers its largest diphtheria outbreak in 70 years
Paris: The largest diphtheria outbreak to strike Western Europe in 70 years has been affecting vulnerable people such as migrants and the homeless since 2022, new research said Wednesday. Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infection that can attack the respiratory tract and spread throughout the body, causing a sore throat, fever and other symptoms. For unvaccinated people, it can be fatal in around 30 percent of cases, and is deadlier for children, according to the World Health Organization. In 2022, there was an unusual surge in the bacteria that causes diphtheria -- Corynebacterium diphtheriae -- in several European countries, particularly among recently arrived migrants, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine. That year 362 cases were recorded by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control . Contact tracing and screening helped tamp down the outbreak, but rare infections have continued to be recorded, the researchers said. A total of 536 cases, including three deaths, have been recorded across Europe since the start of 2022. Patient samples from 10 countries showed that 98 percent of the cases were in males with an average age of 18. Almost all had recently migrated. "The outbreak, which mainly affected migrants from Afghanistan and Syria, was not the result of people being infected in their countries of origin, but during their migration journeys or in their places of accommodation in European countries," said a joint statement from France's public health agency and the Pasteur Institute. The genetic similarities between the strains seen in people from different countries suggests that there was a "recent point of contact, outside the country of origin" at the source of the outbreak, the statement added. The exact areas affected by the outbreak remains unclear. But a genetic link between the 2022 strain and the one detected in Germany this year indicates that "the bacteria continues to circulate quietly in Western Europe," the statement said. Vaccination is very effective at fending off diphtheria, and the researchers emphasised the importance of immunisation programmes for the general public. They also called for European nations to do more to ensure their most vulnerable people avoid contracting the disease. That included raising awareness of the symptoms among doctors and those in contact with migrants and the homeless, as well as increasing access to vaccines and antibiotic drugs. ic-dl/giv
France 24
4 days ago
- Health
- France 24
Europe suffers its largest diphtheria outbreak in 70 years
Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infection that can attack the respiratory tract and spread throughout the body, causing a sore throat, fever and other symptoms. For unvaccinated people, it can be fatal in around 30 percent of cases, and is deadlier for children, according to the World Health Organization. In 2022, there was an unusual surge in the bacteria that causes diphtheria -- Corynebacterium diphtheriae -- in several European countries, particularly among recently arrived migrants, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine. That year 362 cases were recorded by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Contact tracing and screening helped tamp down the outbreak, but rare infections have continued to be recorded, the researchers said. A total of 536 cases, including three deaths, have been recorded across Europe since the start of 2022. Patient samples from 10 countries showed that 98 percent of the cases were in males with an average age of 18. Almost all had recently migrated. "The outbreak, which mainly affected migrants from Afghanistan and Syria, was not the result of people being infected in their countries of origin, but during their migration journeys or in their places of accommodation in European countries," said a joint statement from France's public health agency and the Pasteur Institute. The genetic similarities between the strains seen in people from different countries suggests that there was a "recent point of contact, outside the country of origin" at the source of the outbreak, the statement added. The exact areas affected by the outbreak remains unclear. But a genetic link between the 2022 strain and the one detected in Germany this year indicates that "the bacteria continues to circulate quietly in Western Europe," the statement said. Vaccination is very effective at fending off diphtheria, and the researchers emphasised the importance of immunisation programmes for the general public. They also called for European nations to do more to ensure their most vulnerable people avoid contracting the disease. That included raising awareness of the symptoms among doctors and those in contact with migrants and the homeless, as well as increasing access to vaccines and antibiotic drugs.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Europe suffers its largest diphtheria outbreak in 70 years
The largest diphtheria outbreak to strike Western Europe in 70 years has been affecting vulnerable people such as migrants and the homeless since 2022, new research said Wednesday. Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infection that can attack the respiratory tract and spread throughout the body, causing a sore throat, fever and other symptoms. For unvaccinated people, it can be fatal in around 30 percent of cases, and is deadlier for children, according to the World Health Organization. In 2022, there was an unusual surge in the bacteria that causes diphtheria -- Corynebacterium diphtheriae -- in several European countries, particularly among recently arrived migrants, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine. That year 362 cases were recorded by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Contact tracing and screening helped tamp down the outbreak, but rare infections have continued to be recorded, the researchers said. A total of 536 cases, including three deaths, have been recorded across Europe since the start of 2022. Patient samples from 10 countries showed that 98 percent of the cases were in males with an average age of 18. Almost all had recently migrated. "The outbreak, which mainly affected migrants from Afghanistan and Syria, was not the result of people being infected in their countries of origin, but during their migration journeys or in their places of accommodation in European countries," said a joint statement from France's public health agency and the Pasteur Institute. The genetic similarities between the strains seen in people from different countries suggests that there was a "recent point of contact, outside the country of origin" at the source of the outbreak, the statement added. The exact areas affected by the outbreak remains unclear. But a genetic link between the 2022 strain and the one detected in Germany this year indicates that "the bacteria continues to circulate quietly in Western Europe," the statement said. Vaccination is very effective at fending off diphtheria, and the researchers emphasised the importance of immunisation programmes for the general public. They also called for European nations to do more to ensure their most vulnerable people avoid contracting the disease. That included raising awareness of the symptoms among doctors and those in contact with migrants and the homeless, as well as increasing access to vaccines and antibiotic drugs. ic-dl/giv
Scottish Sun
08-05-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
The 5 popular holiday hotspots riddled with ‘disability-causing disease' this summer – the signs every parent must know
BUG BEAR The 5 popular holiday hotspots riddled with 'disability-causing disease' this summer – the signs every parent must know ONE of the world's most contagious diseases is surging across Europe – and it's striking some of the UK's favorite summer holiday hotspots. Cases of measles cases rose tenfold, hitting 35,212 in 2024, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Advertisement This is the highest number of cases recorded in the EU region since 1997, with health experts warning that more are likely in the coming months. For many, the virus – often linked to the Victorian era when it was widespread – may feel like a common cold. But for others, especially in children under five, it can lead to serious complications. In some cases, the virus spreads to other parts of the body, like the lungs or brain, sometimes resulting in lifelong disabilities or even death. Advertisement Measles is also incredibly contagious and spreads rapidly through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or even talks. One person with measles can spread the infection to 12 to 18 others. To put that into perspective, the R0 (basic reproduction number) for flu is 1 to 4, and for Covid-19, it's 2 to 5. Vaccination, however, is very effective at stopping the virus. Advertisement One dose of the MMR jab, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella, reduces the risk of measles by about 95 per cent. Two doses, also called a booster, reduce it even further, by around 99 per cent. Dr Philippa Kaye urges parents to get their children vaccinated as measles infections surge This week, UK health officials announced that the age for the second MMR jab has been brought forward from three years old to just 18 months. The first dose is still given when children are one year old. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which made the decision, said it hoped the move would "improve uptake and provide earlier protection." Advertisement Although the MMR vaccine is typically given to young children, it is free to everyone on the NHS and is available from GP surgeries. To stop outbreaks, 95 per cent of the population must be vaccinated – a concept known as herd immunity. Over the past 20 years, vaccination rates in the UK and EU have been steadily falling, with a big dip during the pandemic when access to healthcare was limited. 1 Advertisement Which countries have been affected? So far in 2025, around 4,500 measles cases have been reported across the European Union, according to ECDC's latest measles and rubella report, most of which most are unvaccinated kids under four. But which countries, which also happen to be popular with UK tourists, have been worst impacted? 1. Romania Romania is bearing the brunt, with 3,203 cases by late March, and four deaths – the only EU country with measles-related fatalities this year. Advertisement The outbreak has been driven by anti-vaccine movements, mixed health advice, and an overstretched medical system, according to euronews. Only 62 per cent of Romanians were fully vaccinated in 2023, far below the rate needed to prevent outbreaks. 2. France In France, 345 measles cases have been reported, partly thanks to a increase in cases brought into the country from abroad year, says Public Health France (SpF). Advertisement In March, health chiefs warned the country was likely to see more cases in the "coming weeks", French news website, The Connexion, reports. In 2023, 93 per cent of people in France were fully vaccinated – just below the level needed to keep the virus in check. 3. Italy Italy's seen 227 cases so far – second only to Romania – with 85 per cent of its population vaccinated in 2023. Advertisement The country's measles jab rate was 85 per cent in 2023, not high enough to keep outbreaks at bay. Last month, the Italian Pediatric Society launched a campaign to fight against the spread of fake vaccine info and boost jab rates. 4. Netherlands The Netherlands logged 204 measles cases in the first three months of 2025 – already more than the total for all of 2024. Advertisement Over two dozen of those were people who caught measles in Morocco or Romania before heading to the Netherlands. With just 81 per cent coverage, the Netherlands has one of the lowest measles vaccination rates in the EU – only Romania and Cyprus, both at 80 per cent, rank lower. The majority of cases were in children under four, which makes sense, as the public health body has previously reported a 'sharp rise' in outbreaks at primary schools, according to DutchNews. However, officials were quick to point out there's no national outbreak — at least not yet. Advertisement 5. Spain Spain, meanwhile, is battling several outbreaks, with 202 reported cases, mostly from outside the country. But with 92 per cent vaccination coverage, Spain was close to herd immunity - where those who are protected help shield those who aren't. Last month, a major hospital on Spain's Costa del Sol in Malaga declared a measles outbreak, according to The Spanish Eye. Advertisement
