The Cyprus Presidency has decided to activate the Council’s IPCR (Integrated Political Crisis Response) arrangements in information sharing mode to actively monitor the ongoing hantavirus outbreak.
The activation of the IPCR arrangements will facilitate exchange of information among member states and EU institutions. It will serve as a platform bringing together all relevant information and all ongoing actions, with a view to strengthening situational awareness and supporting preparedness.
Based on the evidence available so far, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) classifies the risk for the general population in Europe as very low, given that appropriate infection prevention and control measures are being implemented and that hantaviruses are not easily spread between people.
Information exchange and coordination activities are already taking place at EU level in the relevant sectors, notably within the health and the civil protection communities.