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Glossary · Institutions

ECDC

European Union agency based in Stockholm, tasked with identifying, assessing and communicating health threats in Europe. Coordinates the European response to the MV Hondius episode.

Also called : European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control Institutions

The ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) is the European Union agency based in Stockholm, tasked with identifying, assessing and communicating current and emerging health threats in Europe. For the MV Hondius hantavirus episode, ECDC coordinates the European response and publishes reference technical advisories.

Overview

Mission

Created in 2005 in the wake of the 2003 SARS epidemic, ECDC has three main missions: (1) ongoing epidemiological surveillance of communicable diseases at the European level; (2) scientific assessment of threats and technical support to member states; (3) coordination of European responses to outbreaks, notably through the EWRS (Early Warning and Response System) platform.

Geographical coverage

ECDC covers the 30 states of the European Union and the European Economic Area (EEA): 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Candidate countries for EU accession (Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine) cooperate closely without being full members.

Tools and publications

ECDC's main outputs relevant to acute outbreaks are:

  • Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR): weekly report on ongoing health threats in Europe.
  • Risk assessments: in-depth evaluations for major events.
  • Factsheets: technical fact sheets by pathogen, including one dedicated to orthohantaviruses.
  • Surveillance reports: annual reports by disease.

Articulation with WHO

WHO and ECDC are complementary:

WHO ECDC
Level Global European (EU/EEA)
Reach 194 member states 30 EU + EEA states
Legal framework International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) EU Decision 1082/2013
Notification Disease Outbreak News (DON) ECDC advisory + EWRS

For the MV Hondius episode, WHO publishes a global notification (DON 2026), and ECDC publishes a specific advisory for Europe and coordinates the health authorities of the 9 EU/EEA states concerned (Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Belgium, France, Greece, Ireland, Poland, Portugal).

Role in the MV Hondius episode

European coordination

As soon as Andes virus was identified on 3 May 2026, ECDC activated its risk assessment unit and cooperated with: the Dutch authorities (ship's flag), the Spanish authorities (port of arrival at Granadilla de Abona, Tenerife), and those of the other states whose passengers were repatriated. Coordination is carried out through the EWRS platform, which allows national health authorities to share information in real time.

Public advisory

ECDC published a dedicated advisory Andes hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship — May 2026, publicly accessible, which summarises: the state of knowledge on Andes virus, the case count, recommendations for surveillance of passengers and contacts within the EU/EEA, and points of vigilance for healthcare workers. This advisory is one of the main sources referenced on HantaTracker.

Extended surveillance

In accordance with the hantavirus protocol, ECDC coordinates with national authorities a surveillance of contacts for 42 days, that is until the end of June 2026 for passengers disembarked on 10 May. Any significant developments (new case, secondary transmission, change in risk) will be published in the weekly CDTR.

Key figures

Standards & references

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between ECDC and WHO?

The WHO is a United Nations agency (global, 194 states). The ECDC is the European Union agency (regional, 30 EU/EEA states). The two cooperate: for the MV Hondius episode, WHO publishes the international DON, while ECDC publishes a European advisory and coordinates the health authorities of the relevant member states (Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Ireland).

What is ECDC's role in the MV Hondius episode?

Three main roles: (1) risk assessment via a technical advisory on the episode and its pathogen; (2) operational coordination between European health authorities through the EWRS rapid alert platform; (3) publication of guidance for the surveillance of passengers and contacts within the EU/EEA.

Does ECDC publish official figures?

Yes. For outbreaks involving the EU/EEA, ECDC publishes weekly updates in its Communicable Disease Threats Report, as well as specific advisories for significant events. These publications are one of the reference sources for HantaTracker, on a par with WHO and CDC statements.

Further reading