Infokiri

To:        Operational Contact Points for Influenza, COVID-19 and SARI, National Focal Points for Viral Respiratory Diseases

Cc:       National Coordinators  

Dear network members,

Thank you for your continued data submissions to TESSy, which allow us to provide weekly updates to the European Respiratory Virus Surveillance Summary (ERVISS).

Following a period of very low activity, there is evidence of increased SARS-CoV-2 activity for some reporting EU/EEA countries, with rising sentinel and non-sentinel test positivity in both primary and secondary care since approximately week 18, 2024. Those aged 65 years and above remain at greatest risk of experiencing severe disease, with test positivity highest for this age group in secondary care. Although COVID-19 hospital admissions, ICU admissions and deaths remain low at the EU/EEA level, there is evidence in some countries of increased hospitalisations and deaths, possibly driven by outbreaks in healthcare settings, such as hospitals and nursing/care facilities.

Increases in SARS-CoV-2 activity highlight the continued need to monitor the impact of SARS-CoV-2 at national and regional level, and this e-mail serves to highlight key actions for Member States:

Continue testing ,sequencing and reporting

In order to assess the impact of emerging SARS-CoV-2 sub-lineages, and their possible correlation with increases in COVID-19 epidemiological indicators, it is important that countries continue to sequence SARS-CoV-2-positive clinical specimens and report to GISAID and/or TESSy. To facilitate this, it remains important that testing of symptomatic individuals for SARS-CoV-2 continues to be performed during the summer period and that reporting of sentinel and non-sentinel data to TESSy continues.

Promote vaccination for risk groups

Vaccination remains critically important to protect individuals​ at high risk for severe outcomes, such as older adults and people with underlying conditions. While COVID-19 vaccination continues to be protective against severe disease, its protective effect wanes over time and individuals at higher risk should continue to remain up to date with COVID-19 vaccination as per national recommendations.

Promote measures to reduce transmission

For the general public it remains important to promote practices that reduce transmission risk, such as respiratory hygiene and staying home when sick, particularly as crowds gather for events during the summer months.

ECDC has published guidance on Considerations for infection prevention and control practices in relation to respiratory viral infections in healthcare settings, which summarises key principles for limiting transmission in closed settings at times where increased SARS-CoV-2 circulation may pose a risk for vulnerable groups and healthcare staff.

Best wishes,

ECDC Respiratory Viruses team

Useful links:

• European Respiratory Virus Surveillance Summary
  Website - erviss.org
  EpiPulse item - https://epipulse.ecdc.europa.eu/ebs/#/item/details/2023-IRV-00007
  
  

• SARS-CoV-2 variant classifications and variant distribution
  Website - https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/covid-19/variants-concern
  EpiPulse item - https://epipulse.ecdc.europa.eu/ebs/#/item/details/2020-EIP-00001