Microregistrar Weekly Intelligence | Week 21, 2026<\/title>\n<link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Playfair+Display:ital,wght@0,400;0,700;0,900;1,400&family=Source+Serif+4:ital,opsz,wght@0,8..60,300;0,8..60,400;0,8..60,600;1,8..60,300&family=JetBrains+Mono:wght@400;600&display=swap\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n<style>\n :root {\n --ink: #1a1208;\n --deep: #0d1a2e;\n --accent: #c0392b;\n --gold: #b8860b;\n --muted: #5a5040;\n --rule: #d4c5a0;\n --bg: #faf8f3;\n --card: #ffffff;\n }\n * { margin: 0; padding: 0; box-sizing: border-box; }\n body { background: var(--bg); color: var(--ink); font-family: 'Source Serif 4', Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.65; }\n\n .masthead { background: var(--deep); color: #e8e0d0; border-bottom: 4px solid var(--accent); }\n .masthead-inner { max-width: 820px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 36px 40px 28px; }\n .masthead-label { font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 0.25em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #8a9ab0; margin-bottom: 10px; }\n .masthead-title { font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif; font-size: 42px; font-weight: 900; line-height: 1.05; color: #f0ece0; letter-spacing: -0.5px; }\n .masthead-title span { color: var(--accent); }\n .masthead-sub { font-style: italic; font-size: 14px; color: #7a8a9a; margin-top: 8px; }\n .masthead-meta { display: flex; gap: 24px; margin-top: 20px; padding-top: 18px; border-top: 1px solid #2a3a50; font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 10px; color: #607080; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; }\n\n .container { max-width: 820px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 40px 40px 60px; }\n\n .section-header { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 14px; margin: 44px 0 20px; }\n .section-icon { width: 36px; height: 36px; border-radius: 50%; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; font-size: 16px; flex-shrink: 0; }\n .section-title { font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--deep); letter-spacing: -0.3px; }\n .section-rule { flex: 1; height: 1px; background: var(--rule); }\n\n \/* \u2500\u2500 MICROREGISTRAR COMPACT \u2500\u2500 *\/\n .mr-compact { background: var(--deep); border-radius: 6px; padding: 24px 30px; color: #e0d8c8; margin-bottom: 16px; position: relative; overflow: hidden; }\n .mr-compact::before { content: ''; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; right: 0; height: 3px; background: linear-gradient(90deg, var(--accent), var(--gold)); }\n .mr-result-row { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; }\n .mr-count { font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif; font-size: 64px; font-weight: 900; color: var(--gold); line-height: 1; flex-shrink: 0; }\n .mr-result-text .title { font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 700; color: #f0e8d0; margin-bottom: 4px; }\n .mr-result-text .sub { font-size: 13px; color: #8a9ab0; line-height: 1.4; }\n .chapters-label { font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 0.2em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #607080; margin-bottom: 10px; }\n .chapter-row { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 10px; padding: 8px 0; border-bottom: 1px solid #1e2e40; }\n .chapter-row:last-child { border-bottom: none; }\n .chapter-tag { font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; padding: 3px 8px; border-radius: 3px; flex-shrink: 0; }\n .tag-new { background: #1a3a1a; color: #5abf5a; }\n .tag-exam { background: #3a2a0a; color: #c0952a; }\n .chapter-row span { font-size: 13px; color: #b0c0d0; }\n\n \/* \u2500\u2500 EVENT CARDS \u2500\u2500 *\/\n .event-card { background: var(--card); border: 1px solid #e8e0d0; border-radius: 6px; padding: 22px 26px; margin-bottom: 14px; border-left: 4px solid var(--accent); }\n .event-card.high { border-left-color: #c0392b; }\n .event-card.medium { border-left-color: #d4870a; }\n .event-card.low { border-left-color: #2e7d4a; }\n .event-card.info { border-left-color: #2055a0; }\n .event-header { display: flex; align-items: flex-start; justify-content: space-between; gap: 12px; margin-bottom: 10px; }\n .event-title { font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--deep); line-height: 1.3; }\n .risk-badge { font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; padding: 3px 9px; border-radius: 20px; white-space: nowrap; flex-shrink: 0; }\n .badge-pheic { background: #fce8e8; color: #8b1a1a; border: 1px solid #e8b0b0; }\n .badge-high { background: #fff3e0; color: #7a3a00; border: 1px solid #f0c87a; }\n .badge-low { background: #e8f4ec; color: #1a5a2e; border: 1px solid #8ac8a0; }\n .badge-monitor { background: #e8f0fc; color: #1a3070; border: 1px solid #90b0e8; }\n .badge-routine { background: #f0ece0; color: #5a4a20; border: 1px solid #c8b87a; }\n .badge-new { background: #e8f4ec; color: #1a4a2e; border: 1px solid #7ab090; }\n\n .event-body { font-size: 14px; color: #3a3020; line-height: 1.65; }\n .event-body p { margin-bottom: 8px; }\n .event-body p:last-child { margin-bottom: 0; }\n .event-body ul { padding-left: 20px; margin: 8px 0; }\n .event-body li { margin-bottom: 5px; }\n .event-body strong { color: #1a1208; font-weight: 600; }\n .event-body em { color: #5a4a30; }\n\n .kv-table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin: 10px 0; font-size: 13px; }\n .kv-table td { padding: 5px 8px; vertical-align: top; border-bottom: 1px solid #f0ebe0; }\n .kv-table td:first-child { font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 0.05em; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(--muted); width: 160px; padding-right: 12px; white-space: nowrap; }\n .kv-table tr:last-child td { border-bottom: none; }\n\n .infobox { background: #f5f0e8; border: 1px solid #d8cdb0; border-radius: 4px; padding: 12px 16px; margin: 10px 0; font-size: 13px; color: #4a3a20; line-height: 1.5; }\n .infobox .ib-label { font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.15em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #8a7050; margin-bottom: 4px; }\n\n .event-meta { display: flex; gap: 16px; margin-top: 12px; flex-wrap: wrap; padding-top: 10px; border-top: 1px solid #f0ebe0; }\n .meta-pill { font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.08em; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(--muted); display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 4px; }\n .meta-pill::before { content: '\u25c6'; font-size: 6px; color: var(--rule); }\n\n \/* \u2500\u2500 SIGNAL \/ X \u2500\u2500 *\/\n .signal-grid { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 12px; margin-bottom: 14px; }\n .signal-card { background: var(--card); border: 1px solid #e8e0d0; border-radius: 6px; padding: 16px 18px; }\n .signal-name { font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--deep); margin-bottom: 5px; }\n .signal-detail { font-size: 12.5px; color: #4a4030; line-height: 1.5; }\n .signal-geo { font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 9px; color: #8a8070; letter-spacing: 0.08em; margin-top: 6px; }\n .signal-volume { display: flex; gap: 3px; margin-top: 7px; }\n .vol-dot { width: 8px; height: 8px; border-radius: 50%; background: #d0c8b8; }\n .vol-dot.on { background: var(--accent); }\n .vol-dot.gold { background: var(--gold); }\n\n .alert-box { border-radius: 5px; padding: 14px 18px; margin-bottom: 11px; }\n .alert-signal { background: #faf5e8; border: 1px dashed #c8a840; }\n .alert-unverified { background: #fdf0f0; border: 1px dashed #d08080; }\n .alert-label { font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.18em; text-transform: uppercase; margin-bottom: 5px; }\n .alert-signal .alert-label { color: #8a6a10; }\n .alert-unverified .alert-label { color: #903030; }\n .alert-box p { font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.55; }\n .alert-signal p { color: #5a4a20; font-style: italic; }\n .alert-unverified p { color: #5a2a2a; font-style: italic; }\n\n .footer { background: var(--deep); color: #506070; text-align: center; padding: 24px 40px; font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; line-height: 1.9; }\n .footer a { color: #8a9ab0; text-decoration: none; }\n\n @media(max-width:600px){\n .masthead-title{font-size:28px;}\n .container{padding:24px 18px 40px;}\n .masthead-inner{padding:24px 18px 20px;}\n .signal-grid{grid-template-columns:1fr;}\n .masthead-meta{flex-wrap:wrap;gap:10px;}\n .mr-result-row{flex-direction:column;align-items:flex-start;gap:8px;}\n }\n<\/style>\n<\/head>\n<body>\n\n<header class=\"masthead\">\n <div class=\"masthead-inner\">\n <div class=\"masthead-label\">Microregistrar.com \u00b7 Weekly Intelligence Digest<\/div>\n <div class=\"masthead-title\">Micro<span>registrar<\/span><br>Weekly Update<\/div>\n <div class=\"masthead-sub\">Communicable disease intelligence for the FRCPath candidate & clinical microbiologist<\/div>\n <div class=\"masthead-meta\">\n <span>Week 21 \u00b7 2026<\/span>\n <span>16\u201323 May 2026<\/span>\n <span>Sources: ECDC \u00b7 UKHSA \u00b7 X\/Social Intelligence<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n\n \n <div class=\"section-header\">\n <div class=\"section-icon\" style=\"background:#0d1a2e;color:#c0952a;\">\ud83c\udf93<\/div>\n <div class=\"section-title\">Microregistrar Platform<\/div>\n <div class=\"section-rule\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <div class=\"mr-compact\">\n <div class=\"mr-result-row\">\n <div class=\"mr-count\">25<\/div>\n <div class=\"mr-result-text\">\n <div class=\"title\">FRCPath Results \u2014 May 2026 Sitting<\/div>\n <div class=\"sub\">Moodlecloud members passed their examination.<br>Congratulations to all 25 candidates.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"chapters-label\">Moodle Content Updates This Week<\/div>\n <div class=\"chapter-row\">\n <span class=\"chapter-tag tag-new\">New<\/span>\n <span>Ebola virus \u2014 comprehensive new chapter<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"chapter-row\">\n <span class=\"chapter-tag tag-new\">New<\/span>\n <span>Hantavirus \u2014 new chapter<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"chapter-row\">\n <span class=\"chapter-tag tag-exam\">Exam Focus<\/span>\n <span>High-yield topics for the next sitting \u2014 new section<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n \n <div class=\"section-header\">\n <div class=\"section-icon\" style=\"background:#2e1a4a;color:#c0b0e8;\">\ud83c\udfdb<\/div>\n <div class=\"section-title\">UKHSA \/ Gov.UK \u2014 Key Alerts (Week 21)<\/div>\n <div class=\"section-rule\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card high\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Hantavirus Disease Added to UK Statutory Notifiable Disease List<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-new\">New \u00b7 Notifiable<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <p>Hantavirus disease was formally added to the UK notifiable diseases list on 19 May 2026. Both the statutory guidance page and the notifiable diseases poster for registered medical practitioners have been updated.<\/p>\n <table class=\"kv-table\">\n <tr><td>HAIRS Risk Assessment<\/td><td>Published 18 May 2026. Qualitative risk assessment for Andes virus infection in a UK rodent. Risk to UK human population assessed as <strong>very low<\/strong> \u2014 the natural rodent reservoir for ANDV is not present in the UK or Europe.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Evidence Review<\/td><td>UKHSA systematic evidence summary published 19 May: human-to-human hantavirus transmission parameters \u2014 incubation period, infectious period, asymptomatic\/presymptomatic transmission, and transmission routes.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Cruise Ship Update<\/td><td>UKHSA published a dedicated update on 22 May covering British nationals involved in the M\/V Hondius ANDV outbreak (South Atlantic).<\/td><\/tr>\n <\/table>\n <div class=\"infobox\">\n <div class=\"ib-label\">FRCPath Relevance<\/div>\n High. Hantavirus is now a notifiable pathogen in the UK. The HFRS vs HPS distinction, Andes virus human-to-human transmission (unique among hantaviruses), and rodent reservoir epidemiology are all examinable at Part 1 and Part 2 level.\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">UKHSA \u00b7 18\u201322 May 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">HAIRS \u00b7 Notifiable Diseases<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card high\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Ebola (Bundibugyo Virus) \u2014 DRC & Uganda: UKHSA Guidance Suite Updated<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-pheic\">PHEIC Declared \u00b7 17 May 2026<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <p>Following WHO’s PHEIC declaration on 17 May 2026, UKHSA updated multiple guidance documents across the week of 18\u201321 May:<\/p>\n <ul>\n <li><strong>Returning Workers Scheme (RWS)<\/strong> updated to reflect confirmed DRC and Uganda outbreak.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Ebola and Marburg: outbreaks and case locations<\/strong> page updated to reflect ongoing incident.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Ebola: overview, history, origins and transmission<\/strong> updated in light of the PHEIC declaration.<\/li>\n <li><strong>VHF ACDP algorithm and guidance on management of patients<\/strong> \u2014 terminology change: “HCID assessment PPE” replaced throughout with <strong>“unified HCID PPE”<\/strong> to reflect renaming of the PPE ensemble.<\/li>\n <li><strong>HCID country-specific risk list<\/strong> updated for Guinea and Saudi Arabia (21 May).<\/li>\n <li><strong>Outbreaks under monitoring<\/strong> updated (week 20, 2026).<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <div class=\"infobox\">\n <div class=\"ib-label\">Key Clinical Point<\/div>\n This outbreak is caused by <strong>Bundibugyo virus<\/strong>, not the more commonly encountered Zaire ebolavirus. There are currently <strong>no licensed vaccines and no specific treatments<\/strong> for Bundibugyo virus disease. This distinguishes it critically from previous UK HCID preparedness planning, which assumed availability of rVSV-ZEBOV (Ervebo) and mAb114\/REGN-EB3.\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">UKHSA \u00b7 18\u201321 May 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">17th Ebola outbreak in DRC<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">HCID \u00b7 VHF<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card medium\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">MERS-CoV \u2014 Comprehensive New Guidance Package Published<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-low\">Risk: Extremely Low (UK)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <p>UKHSA published an extensive suite of new and updated MERS-CoV guidance on 18 May 2026:<\/p>\n <ul>\n <li><strong>Background information<\/strong> (first published) \u2014 transmission, diagnosis, treatment, prevention for public-facing guidance.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Diagnostic testing<\/strong> (first published) \u2014 sample taking, submission and processing guidance for suspected cases.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Diagnosis and management of cases and contacts<\/strong> (first published) \u2014 for healthcare professionals and HPTs.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Biological principles for control of MERS-CoV<\/strong> (first published) \u2014 current knowledge and assumptions on biology and transmission.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Travel from Middle East advice sheet<\/strong> (first published) \u2014 infographic for travellers returning to UK.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Risk assessment updated<\/strong> \u2014 risk for UK travellers to Middle East remains <em>very low<\/em>; risk of acquiring MERS-CoV in the UK formally reduced to <em>extremely low<\/em>.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Minimum dataset form<\/strong> updated to abridged version.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Clinical management and guidance<\/strong> \u2014 ‘MERS-CoV: background information’ added; ‘Diagnosis’ and ‘Public Health Management’ sections removed; travel advice and contacts information sheets updated.<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">UKHSA \u00b7 18 May 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">FRCPath: HCID \/ Zoonoses<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card medium\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">West Nile Virus & Invasive Aedes \u2014 National Contingency Plans Published<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-new\">First Published \u00b7 2026<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <p>Three major One Health vector-borne disease documents published simultaneously on 21 May 2026:<\/p>\n <ul>\n <li><strong>National contingency plan for West Nile Virus in England<\/strong> \u2014 new 2026 plan. Includes a published map and table of local authorities with sites at Level 1 of the WNV plan.<\/li>\n <li><strong>National contingency plan for invasive <em>Aedes<\/em> mosquitoes in England<\/strong> \u2014 supersedes the 2020 plan.<\/li>\n <li><strong>One Health VBD surveillance annual report (2025)<\/strong> \u2014 first annual report of its kind integrating vector, animal, and human surveillance data for England. <strong>Lyme disease remains the most common vector-borne infection in England in 2025.<\/strong><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <p>Tick-borne encephalitis guidance also expanded with additional epidemiology and resource links (21 May).<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">UKHSA \u00b7 21 May 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">One Health \u00b7 VBD \u00b7 Arboviral<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card info\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">New HIV Diagnoses in England \u2014 Provisional Data Published<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-monitor\">First Published<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <p>UKHSA published provisional data on new HIV diagnoses in England (21 May 2026). This is a new annual provisional data report, published earlier than the full annual HIV surveillance report to support timely public health action.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">UKHSA \u00b7 21 May 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">Blood-borne virus surveillance<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card low\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Pertussis Guidance Updated; MMR Community Outbreak PGD Template Added<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-routine\">Operational Update<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <ul>\n <li><strong>Pertussis exclusion period<\/strong> in guidance for children and young people’s settings updated from <strong>14 to 21 days<\/strong>, in line with the revised UKHSA public health management guidelines (21 May 2026).<\/li>\n <li><strong>MMR PGD template<\/strong> for use in community measles outbreaks added to the immunisation PGD template suite (18 May 2026) \u2014 enables non-prescribers to administer MMR vaccine during community outbreaks under a patient group direction.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Pertussis public health management guidelines<\/strong> formally updated with revised forms (21 May).<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">UKHSA \u00b7 18\u201321 May 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">IPC \u00b7 Vaccination \u00b7 PGD<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n \n <div class=\"section-header\">\n <div class=\"section-icon\" style=\"background:#1a4a2e;color:#80e0a0;\">\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa<\/div>\n <div class=\"section-title\">ECDC \u2014 Communicable Disease Threats Report, Week 21<\/div>\n <div class=\"section-rule\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card high\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Andes Virus (ANDV) Outbreak \u2014 M\/V Hondius, South Atlantic<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-high\">11 Cases \u00b7 3 Deaths<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <table class=\"kv-table\">\n <tr><td>Status (22 May)<\/td><td>11 cases total: <strong>9 confirmed, 2 probable. 3 deaths.<\/strong> No new cases or deaths since previous update.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Vessel<\/td><td>M\/V Hondius (Dutch-flagged). Departed Argentina 1 April. Itinerary: mainland Antarctica \u2192 South Georgia \u2192 Nightingale Island \u2192 Tristan da Cunha \u2192 St Helena \u2192 Ascension Island \u2192 (Cabo Verde, next port). Total 149 embarked: 88 passengers, 61 crew. 23 nationalities including 9 EU\/EEA countries.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Disembarkation<\/td><td>122 people (87 guests, 35 crew) disembarked Tenerife 10\u201311 May. Evacuation flights by NL, Spain, France, Ireland, Greece, UK, T\u00fcrkiye, Canada, USA, Australia. Vessel departed Tenerife 11 May; arrived Rotterdam 18 May. 27 remaining (25 crew, 2 medical professionals) disembarked; all asymptomatic individuals in quarantine. Vessel undergoing disinfection.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Genomics<\/td><td>Preliminary sequencing shows <strong>high genetic similarity between isolates<\/strong>, consistent with a single zoonotic spillover event (likely in Argentina, where ANDV is endemic) followed by human-to-human transmission onboard. Further genome results pending.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Transmission hypothesis<\/td><td>Passengers exposed to ANDV in Argentina prior to embarkation; subsequent person-to-person transmission onboard. ANDV is the <strong>only hantavirus with documented efficient human-to-human transmission<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>EU\/EEA risk<\/td><td><strong>Very low.<\/strong> ANDV rodent reservoir absent in Europe. SoHO donor population risk: negligible. Entry screening of returning travellers not recommended by ECDC.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>ECDC actions<\/td><td>Threat Assessment Brief published 6 May 2026. Updated IPC guidance for healthcare settings and self-quarantine recommendations for asymptomatic contacts published. Ongoing epidemiological studies on transmission characteristics.<\/td><\/tr>\n <\/table>\n <div class=\"infobox\">\n <div class=\"ib-label\">Background \u2014 First Documented Cases<\/div>\n First documented human ANDV infections: Argentina, 1996, causing hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). European precedent: two imported HPS cases in travellers returning to Switzerland from South America, 2016.\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">ECDC CDTR \u00b7 W21<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">Last CDTR entry: W20 (13 May 2026)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card high\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Ebola Disease \u2014 Bundibugyo Virus, DRC & Uganda<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-pheic\">PHEIC \u00b7 WHO 17 May 2026<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <table class=\"kv-table\">\n <tr><td>Burden (21 May)<\/td><td>Over <strong>650 suspected cases, 160 deaths<\/strong>. DRC confirmed: <strong>64 cases, 6 deaths<\/strong>. Uganda confirmed: <strong>2 cases, 1 death<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Provinces (DRC)<\/td><td>Ituri (60 confirmed; 4 deaths) and North Kivu (4 confirmed; 2 deaths). Health zones: Rwampara (19), Bunia (6), Nyankunde (4), Mongbwalu (1) in Ituri; Butembo (1), Goma (1), Katwa (1) in North Kivu. Media reports a case in South Kivu (person who travelled from Tsopo Province). Cases in both provincial capitals \u2014 Bunia (Ituri) and Goma (North Kivu). Over 1,000 contacts followed up in Ituri; over 100 in Uganda.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Index case<\/td><td>A nurse who died in a healthcare facility in Bunia. Presentation: fever, bleeding, vomiting, weakness.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Uganda cases<\/td><td>Both confirmed cases had travel links to DRC. First Ugandan case died under treatment in Uganda.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>International cases<\/td><td>An American healthcare worker from the affected area tested positive; transferred to Germany with 6 high-risk contacts (18 May). One additional contact transferred to Czechia.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Genomics<\/td><td>Sequences from DRC and Uganda published (Virological, 18 May). Preliminary analysis shows <strong>distinct sequences from both the 2007 Uganda and 2012 DRC Bundibugyo outbreaks<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Countermeasures<\/td><td><strong>No licensed vaccines. No specific treatments.<\/strong> Unlike Zaire ebolavirus (rVSV-ZEBOV\/Ervebo; mAb114; REGN-EB3), no medical countermeasures are available for Bundibugyo virus.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Declarations<\/td><td>WHO PHEIC: 17 May 2026. Africa CDC Public Health Emergency of Continental Security: 18 May 2026.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>ECDC risk (EU\/EEA)<\/td><td>Infection risk for EU\/EEA travellers to affected areas: <strong>low<\/strong>. Risk for EU\/EEA residents: <strong>very low<\/strong> (very low likelihood of importation and secondary transmission). Outbreak probably larger than currently detected; ongoing insecurity limits surveillance.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Screening policy<\/td><td>ECDC does <strong>not recommend entry screening<\/strong> of returning travellers. Evidence from the 2013\u20132016 West Africa EVD outbreak (tens of thousands of cases; hundreds of EU\/EEA personnel deployed) showed entry screening is time- and resource-consuming without effectively identifying infected cases. <strong>Exit screening is the recommended approach<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Historical context<\/td><td>17th Ebola outbreak in DRC. Most recent prior: 2025, Kasai Province (Zaire ebolavirus). Bundibugyo virus first identified: 2007, Bundibugyo district, Uganda. Last Bundibugyo outbreak: 2012, DRC. The 2018\u20132020 North Kivu\/Ituri outbreak (Zaire ebolavirus): 3,470 cases, 2,287 deaths.<\/td><\/tr>\n <\/table>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">ECDC CDTR \u00b7 W21<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">Threat Assessment Brief: 21 May 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">First CDTR entry this event<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card medium\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Avian Influenza A(H9N2) \u2014 New Human Case, Sichuan Province, China<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-low\">203 Cumulative Cases \u00b7 CFR ~1%<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <table class=\"kv-table\">\n <tr><td>Case<\/td><td>Female child, under 5 years, Sichuan Province. Symptom onset 25 April 2026; reported by WHO 15 May, Hong Kong CHP 16 May 2026.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Clinical<\/td><td>Fever; <strong>symptoms self-resolved<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Exposure<\/td><td>Live poultry market prior to symptom onset.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Contacts<\/td><td>No additional cases detected among close contacts.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Cumulative total<\/td><td>203 human cases (since 1998), 11 countries, 2 deaths. <strong>CFR: 0.98%.<\/strong> Since 2015, China alone has reported 161 cases and 2 deaths (CFR ~1%).<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>ECDC assessment<\/td><td>No evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission. No clusters reported. Risk to EU\/EEA human health: <strong>very low<\/strong>. Most cases cause mild illness; direct contact with infected birds or contaminated environments is the primary route.<\/td><\/tr>\n <\/table>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">ECDC CDTR \u00b7 W21<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">Last CDTR entry: 30 April 2026<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card low\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Respiratory Virus Epidemiology \u2014 EU\/EEA, Week 20<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-routine\">Baseline \/ Inter-seasonal<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <p>All major respiratory viruses at or near baseline across EU\/EEA in week 20.<\/p>\n <table class=\"kv-table\">\n <tr><td>ILI\/ARI (primary care)<\/td><td>Influenza positivity: <strong>0.4%<\/strong> (median; IQR 0\u20130%). RSV: <strong>1.1%<\/strong> (0\u20130.2%). SARS-CoV-2: <strong>2.1%<\/strong> (0\u20130%). 13 countries reporting ARI rates; 16 reporting ILI rates.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>SARI (hospitals)<\/td><td>Influenza: <strong>0.2%<\/strong>. RSV: <strong>1.5%<\/strong> (0\u20135.2%). SARS-CoV-2: <strong>0.6%<\/strong>. 10 countries reporting.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Influenza intensity<\/td><td>18 countries at baseline; 1 at low intensity.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Season-wide subtypes<\/td><td>Influenza A(H3): <strong>60%<\/strong> of typed specimens; A(H1)pdm09: <strong>39%<\/strong>. Influenza B\/Vic: 1%. RSV-B slightly predominant over RSV-A (55% vs 45% of typed RSV).<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>A(H3) subclade<\/td><td>2a.3a.1(K) dominant at 89% of characterised A(H3) sequences.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Data note<\/td><td>TESSy\/ERVISS data temporarily paused due to migration to EpiPulse Cases. Publication expected to resume <strong>22 June 2026<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr>\n <\/table>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">ECDC ERVISS \u00b7 W20<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">Last CDTR entry: 8 May 2026<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card medium\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Chikungunya Virus Disease \u2014 French Guiana, France<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-monitor\">249 Cases YTD \u00b7 Epidemic Phase<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <table class=\"kv-table\">\n <tr><td>Burden (7 May)<\/td><td>249 confirmed autochthonous cases since January 2026. Weekly case counts: week 15: 15; week 16: 33; week 17: 61; week 18: 40.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Geographic phases<\/td><td><strong>Littoral ouest<\/strong> (western border with Suriname): <strong>epidemic phase<\/strong> declared 23 April (198 cases; 80% of total). ORSEC Level 3 (low-intensity epidemic) activated. <strong>\u00cele de Cayenne<\/strong>: outbreak clusters phase. <strong>Maroni and Savanes<\/strong>: sporadic transmission. <strong>Int\u00e9rieur, Int\u00e9rieur Est, Oyapock<\/strong>: surveillance only, no cases.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Virology<\/td><td>All cases RT-PCR confirmed. Strain: <strong>ECSA genotype<\/strong>, lacking the E1-A226V mutation (the mutation that confers efficient replication in <em>Ae. albopictus<\/em>). Genetically close to recent sequences from Cuba and Brazil.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Regional context<\/td><td>Suriname (shares western border): 2,579 cases Jan\u2013mid-March 2026. Last French Guiana outbreak: 2014\u20132015 (>16,000 suspected cases, 500 hospitalisations; estimated 20% seroprevalence by 2017).<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Risk assessment<\/td><td>Risk for travellers to French Guiana: <strong>low<\/strong>. Risk of onward transmission in mainland Europe from viraemic traveller: <strong>low but increasing<\/strong> \u2014 rainy season (Jan\u2013July) ongoing; Aedes activity in mainland Europe increasing seasonally.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Prevention<\/td><td>Mosquito repellent, bed nets, screened\/air-conditioned accommodation, covering clothing. Vaccination per national recommendations where available.<\/td><\/tr>\n <\/table>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">ECDC CDTR \u00b7 W21<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">Last CDTR entry: 12 May 2026<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card medium\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Measles \u2014 EU\/EEA & Global Monitoring (Monthly)<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-monitor\">3,607 Cases \u00b7 12mo EU\/EEA<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <p><strong>EU\/EEA \u2014 12 months (1 April 2025 \u2013 31 March 2026):<\/strong> 3,607 cases; 3,098 (85.9%) lab-confirmed. 5 deaths: France (3), Netherlands (1), Romania (1). CFR: 0.14%.<\/p>\n <ul>\n <li>Age: 31.7% in children <5 years; 45.1% aged \u226515 years. Highest notification rates: infants <1 year (90.8\/million); children 1\u20134 years (48.9\/million).<\/li>\n <li>Vaccination status (84% of cases with known status): <strong>78.2% unvaccinated<\/strong>; 10.6% one dose; 9.9% two or more doses.<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <p><strong>March 2026 (most recent monthly data):<\/strong> 172 cases across 12 countries; 18 countries reported zero. Highest: Bulgaria (52), Italy (44), Spain (24), France (15), Germany (11). Case numbers increased vs previous month.<\/p>\n <p><strong>Active outbreaks (20 May 2026 epidemic intelligence):<\/strong><\/p>\n <ul>\n <li><strong>Bulgaria<\/strong>: 277 cases YTD (week 1\u201320). Outbreak began 19 March. Centred in Vratsa (150), Pleven (48), Lovech (18). Majority in children (189\/225). Over 28,000 MMR doses administered in response.<\/li>\n <li><strong>France<\/strong>: 77 cases Jan\u2013April 2026; 12 outbreaks reported, 3 still active. Cases in 24 departments. 54% of cases with known vaccination status were not fully vaccinated.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Germany<\/strong>: 82 confirmed\/probable cases (weeks 1\u201321 2026), +23 since week 15.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Latvia<\/strong>: 49 confirmed cases (outbreak; data to 15 April).<\/li>\n <li><strong>Spain<\/strong>: 118 cases Jan\u201317 May (10 imported, 25 import-linked).<\/li>\n <li><strong>Portugal<\/strong>: outbreak in Beja; 3 cases, ~500 contacts.<\/li>\n <li><strong>England<\/strong>: 542 lab-confirmed cases, no deaths (Jan\u201327 April 2026).<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <p><strong>Global highlights:<\/strong><\/p>\n <ul>\n <li><strong>Bangladesh<\/strong>: 57,856 children with measles-like symptoms; 8,067 confirmed; 481 deaths (80 confirmed); 45,128 hospitalisations since 15 March 2026.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Mexico<\/strong>: 10,945 confirmed cases + 13 deaths in 2026; Jalisco most affected (9,847 cases). Declining after week 6 peak.<\/li>\n <li><strong>USA<\/strong>: 1,893 cases Jan\u201314 May 2026 (93% outbreak-associated; 92% in unvaccinated).<\/li>\n <li><strong>Canada<\/strong>: 1,018 cases (941 confirmed); multijurisdictional outbreak ongoing.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Japan<\/strong>: 479 cases weeks 1\u201319 (exceeds all of 2025: 265 cases); 86% in teenagers and adults; 38 imported.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Africa CDC<\/strong>: 3,422 confirmed + 92,537 suspected cases; 633 deaths from 21 AU member states in 2026.<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <div class=\"infobox\">\n <div class=\"ib-label\">FIFA World Cup 2026 Risk Note<\/div>\n ECDC provides a specific alert regarding the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 (Canada, Mexico, USA \u2014 all countries with active transmission). Travellers should verify vaccination status before departure.\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">ECDC CDTR \u00b7 W21 (monthly)<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">Last CDTR entry: 17 April 2026<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card info\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Other Events Under Active ECDC Monitoring<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-routine\">Monitoring<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <ul>\n <li><strong>Salmonella Bovismorbificans<\/strong> \u2014 ECDC\/EFSA Rapid Outbreak Assessment in preparation for a multi-country outbreak linked to sprouted seeds. Expected publication: 25 June 2026.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Mpox (Clades I & II)<\/strong> \u2014 global and EU\/EEA outbreak under monitoring; last updated 8\u201313 May 2026.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Avian influenza A(H5N6)<\/strong> \u2014 human cases monitoring; last updated 13 May 2026.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Swine influenza A(H1N2)v<\/strong> \u2014 multi-country human cases; last updated 13 May 2026.<\/li>\n <li><strong>MERS-CoV<\/strong> \u2014 monthly update; last updated 8 May 2026.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Cholera<\/strong> \u2014 global monitoring; last updated 30 April 2026.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Multi-country Salmonella Stanley ST2045 cluster<\/strong> \u2014 last updated 8 May 2026.<\/li>\n <li><strong>SARS-CoV-2 variant classification<\/strong> \u2014 last updated 30 April 2026.<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">ECDC CDTR \u00b7 W21<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n \n <div class=\"section-header\">\n <div class=\"section-icon\" style=\"background:#3a2a1a;color:#c0a060;\">\ud83d\udce1<\/div>\n <div class=\"section-title\">Social Intelligence \u2014 X.com (16\u201323 May, UK & Europe)<\/div>\n <div class=\"section-rule\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <div class=\"signal-grid\">\n <div class=\"signal-card\">\n <div class=\"signal-name\">H5N1 \/ Avian Influenza<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-detail\">Surge in poultry outbreaks in Poland; new H5N1 cases logged across Europe. Mammalian spillover signals (dairy cattle, Arctic mammals). UK farming policy tie-in: RSPCA mandatory outbreak plans for turkey farms. Activist calls for industry shutdown in some posts.<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-geo\">GEO: Europe-wide (Poland focus) \u00b7 Last 48h active<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-volume\">\n <div class=\"vol-dot on\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot on\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot on\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-card\">\n <div class=\"signal-name\">MenB \/ IMD Vaccination<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-detail\">UKHSA provisional 2024\u201325 data circulating: 378 lab-confirmed IMD cases, 31 deaths; MenB predominant. Calls for phased adolescent catch-up MenB programme in England. Cross-protection of 4CMenB (Bexsero) against gonorrhoea highlighted as dual benefit.<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-geo\">GEO: England (Reading, Dorset, national) \u00b7 Last 48h active<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-volume\">\n <div class=\"vol-dot on gold\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot on gold\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot on gold\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot on gold\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-card\">\n <div class=\"signal-name\">Pertussis NHS Campaigns<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-detail\">NHS regional catch-up campaigns active (Cheshire\/Merseyside; Leicester\/Leicestershire & Rutland). Mobile vaccine clinics, red book checks. Clinician notes of local circulation hotspots requiring antibiotics and vaccination.<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-geo\">GEO: England (NHS ICB level)<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-volume\">\n <div class=\"vol-dot on\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot on\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-card\">\n <div class=\"signal-name\">AMR Policy & NHS Stewardship<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-detail\">UK\u2013Gulf Cooperation Council trade deal includes explicit AMR commitments alongside animal welfare. NHS antibiotic line-flushing and disposal challenges (operational underdosing\/environmental risk) discussed by experts and referenced to peer-reviewed commentary.<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-geo\">GEO: UK (policy & NHS operational) \u00b7 Last 48h active<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-volume\">\n <div class=\"vol-dot on\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot on\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <div class=\"alert-box alert-signal\">\n <div class=\"alert-label\">\u26a1 Weak Signal \u2014 Experts Before Mainstream<\/div>\n <p><strong>4CMenB (Bexsero) cross-protection against gonorrhoea<\/strong> being actively discussed as a dual public health and AMR-reduction benefit in the NHS England programme context. Proposed mechanism: outer membrane vesicle components shared between <em>N. meningitidis<\/em> and <em>N. gonorrhoeae<\/em>. If the population-level gonorrhoea burden reduction is validated at scale, it could fundamentally reframe the cost-effectiveness case for broader adolescent MenB vaccination in England beyond current programme boundaries.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <div class=\"alert-box alert-signal\">\n <div class=\"alert-label\">\u26a1 Weak Signal \u2014 Circulating Non-COVID Respiratory Viruses<\/div>\n <p>Community clinicians in the UK noting ongoing rhinovirus and hMPV (human metapneumovirus) circulation. Not captured in ECDC ERVISS data at headline level this week \u2014 worth monitoring as summer school holiday movement begins.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <div class=\"alert-box alert-unverified\">\n <div class=\"alert-label\">\u26a0 Unverified \u2014 Treat with Caution<\/div>\n <p><strong>Swine flu park closure, Barcelona:<\/strong> Claim circulating on X that swine flu is responsible for months-long closure of Collserola metropolitan park (largest metropolitan park in Europe). Scepticism expressed by multiple accounts regarding the official rationale. <strong>No official confirmation from Spanish or Catalan health authorities has been identified.<\/strong> Anecdotal only \u2014 do not act on this signal.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<footer class=\"footer\">\n <div>MICROREGISTRAR.COM \u00b7 Week 21, 16\u201323 May 2026<\/div>\n <div style=\"margin-top:5px;\">Sources: ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report W21 (16\u201322 May 2026) \u00b7 UKHSA \/ Gov.UK updates (16\u201322 May 2026) \u00b7 X\/Social intelligence synthesis (7-day, UK & Europe)<\/div>\n <div style=\"margin-top:5px;\">This newsletter is for educational and professional development purposes. It does not constitute clinical advice.<br>Verify all clinical decisions against current national guidelines.<\/div>\n <div style=\"margin-top:8px; opacity:0.5;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\">microregistrar.com<\/a><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n\n<\/body>\n<\/html>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Microregistrar Weekly Intelligence | Week 21, 2026 Microregistrar.com \u00b7 Weekly Intelligence Digest MicroregistrarWeekly Update Communicable disease intelligence for the FRCPath […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1339","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1339"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1339\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1340,"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1339\/revisions\/1340"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

{"id":1339,"date":"2026-05-23T20:48:05","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T19:48:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/?p=1339"},"modified":"2026-05-23T20:48:07","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T19:48:07","slug":"microregistrar-newsletter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/?p=1339","title":{"rendered":"Microregistrar Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n\nMicroregistrar Weekly Intelligence | Week 21, 2026<\/title>\n<link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Playfair+Display:ital,wght@0,400;0,700;0,900;1,400&family=Source+Serif+4:ital,opsz,wght@0,8..60,300;0,8..60,400;0,8..60,600;1,8..60,300&family=JetBrains+Mono:wght@400;600&display=swap\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n<style>\n :root {\n --ink: #1a1208;\n --deep: #0d1a2e;\n --accent: #c0392b;\n --gold: #b8860b;\n --muted: #5a5040;\n --rule: #d4c5a0;\n --bg: #faf8f3;\n --card: #ffffff;\n }\n * { margin: 0; padding: 0; box-sizing: border-box; }\n body { background: var(--bg); color: var(--ink); font-family: 'Source Serif 4', Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.65; }\n\n .masthead { background: var(--deep); color: #e8e0d0; border-bottom: 4px solid var(--accent); }\n .masthead-inner { max-width: 820px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 36px 40px 28px; }\n .masthead-label { font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 0.25em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #8a9ab0; margin-bottom: 10px; }\n .masthead-title { font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif; font-size: 42px; font-weight: 900; line-height: 1.05; color: #f0ece0; letter-spacing: -0.5px; }\n .masthead-title span { color: var(--accent); }\n .masthead-sub { font-style: italic; font-size: 14px; color: #7a8a9a; margin-top: 8px; }\n .masthead-meta { display: flex; gap: 24px; margin-top: 20px; padding-top: 18px; border-top: 1px solid #2a3a50; font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 10px; color: #607080; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; }\n\n .container { max-width: 820px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 40px 40px 60px; }\n\n .section-header { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 14px; margin: 44px 0 20px; }\n .section-icon { width: 36px; height: 36px; border-radius: 50%; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; font-size: 16px; flex-shrink: 0; }\n .section-title { font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--deep); letter-spacing: -0.3px; }\n .section-rule { flex: 1; height: 1px; background: var(--rule); }\n\n \/* \u2500\u2500 MICROREGISTRAR COMPACT \u2500\u2500 *\/\n .mr-compact { background: var(--deep); border-radius: 6px; padding: 24px 30px; color: #e0d8c8; margin-bottom: 16px; position: relative; overflow: hidden; }\n .mr-compact::before { content: ''; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; right: 0; height: 3px; background: linear-gradient(90deg, var(--accent), var(--gold)); }\n .mr-result-row { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; }\n .mr-count { font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif; font-size: 64px; font-weight: 900; color: var(--gold); line-height: 1; flex-shrink: 0; }\n .mr-result-text .title { font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 700; color: #f0e8d0; margin-bottom: 4px; }\n .mr-result-text .sub { font-size: 13px; color: #8a9ab0; line-height: 1.4; }\n .chapters-label { font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 0.2em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #607080; margin-bottom: 10px; }\n .chapter-row { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 10px; padding: 8px 0; border-bottom: 1px solid #1e2e40; }\n .chapter-row:last-child { border-bottom: none; }\n .chapter-tag { font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; padding: 3px 8px; border-radius: 3px; flex-shrink: 0; }\n .tag-new { background: #1a3a1a; color: #5abf5a; }\n .tag-exam { background: #3a2a0a; color: #c0952a; }\n .chapter-row span { font-size: 13px; color: #b0c0d0; }\n\n \/* \u2500\u2500 EVENT CARDS \u2500\u2500 *\/\n .event-card { background: var(--card); border: 1px solid #e8e0d0; border-radius: 6px; padding: 22px 26px; margin-bottom: 14px; border-left: 4px solid var(--accent); }\n .event-card.high { border-left-color: #c0392b; }\n .event-card.medium { border-left-color: #d4870a; }\n .event-card.low { border-left-color: #2e7d4a; }\n .event-card.info { border-left-color: #2055a0; }\n .event-header { display: flex; align-items: flex-start; justify-content: space-between; gap: 12px; margin-bottom: 10px; }\n .event-title { font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--deep); line-height: 1.3; }\n .risk-badge { font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; padding: 3px 9px; border-radius: 20px; white-space: nowrap; flex-shrink: 0; }\n .badge-pheic { background: #fce8e8; color: #8b1a1a; border: 1px solid #e8b0b0; }\n .badge-high { background: #fff3e0; color: #7a3a00; border: 1px solid #f0c87a; }\n .badge-low { background: #e8f4ec; color: #1a5a2e; border: 1px solid #8ac8a0; }\n .badge-monitor { background: #e8f0fc; color: #1a3070; border: 1px solid #90b0e8; }\n .badge-routine { background: #f0ece0; color: #5a4a20; border: 1px solid #c8b87a; }\n .badge-new { background: #e8f4ec; color: #1a4a2e; border: 1px solid #7ab090; }\n\n .event-body { font-size: 14px; color: #3a3020; line-height: 1.65; }\n .event-body p { margin-bottom: 8px; }\n .event-body p:last-child { margin-bottom: 0; }\n .event-body ul { padding-left: 20px; margin: 8px 0; }\n .event-body li { margin-bottom: 5px; }\n .event-body strong { color: #1a1208; font-weight: 600; }\n .event-body em { color: #5a4a30; }\n\n .kv-table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin: 10px 0; font-size: 13px; }\n .kv-table td { padding: 5px 8px; vertical-align: top; border-bottom: 1px solid #f0ebe0; }\n .kv-table td:first-child { font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 0.05em; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(--muted); width: 160px; padding-right: 12px; white-space: nowrap; }\n .kv-table tr:last-child td { border-bottom: none; }\n\n .infobox { background: #f5f0e8; border: 1px solid #d8cdb0; border-radius: 4px; padding: 12px 16px; margin: 10px 0; font-size: 13px; color: #4a3a20; line-height: 1.5; }\n .infobox .ib-label { font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.15em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #8a7050; margin-bottom: 4px; }\n\n .event-meta { display: flex; gap: 16px; margin-top: 12px; flex-wrap: wrap; padding-top: 10px; border-top: 1px solid #f0ebe0; }\n .meta-pill { font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.08em; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(--muted); display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 4px; }\n .meta-pill::before { content: '\u25c6'; font-size: 6px; color: var(--rule); }\n\n \/* \u2500\u2500 SIGNAL \/ X \u2500\u2500 *\/\n .signal-grid { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 12px; margin-bottom: 14px; }\n .signal-card { background: var(--card); border: 1px solid #e8e0d0; border-radius: 6px; padding: 16px 18px; }\n .signal-name { font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--deep); margin-bottom: 5px; }\n .signal-detail { font-size: 12.5px; color: #4a4030; line-height: 1.5; }\n .signal-geo { font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 9px; color: #8a8070; letter-spacing: 0.08em; margin-top: 6px; }\n .signal-volume { display: flex; gap: 3px; margin-top: 7px; }\n .vol-dot { width: 8px; height: 8px; border-radius: 50%; background: #d0c8b8; }\n .vol-dot.on { background: var(--accent); }\n .vol-dot.gold { background: var(--gold); }\n\n .alert-box { border-radius: 5px; padding: 14px 18px; margin-bottom: 11px; }\n .alert-signal { background: #faf5e8; border: 1px dashed #c8a840; }\n .alert-unverified { background: #fdf0f0; border: 1px dashed #d08080; }\n .alert-label { font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.18em; text-transform: uppercase; margin-bottom: 5px; }\n .alert-signal .alert-label { color: #8a6a10; }\n .alert-unverified .alert-label { color: #903030; }\n .alert-box p { font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.55; }\n .alert-signal p { color: #5a4a20; font-style: italic; }\n .alert-unverified p { color: #5a2a2a; font-style: italic; }\n\n .footer { background: var(--deep); color: #506070; text-align: center; padding: 24px 40px; font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; line-height: 1.9; }\n .footer a { color: #8a9ab0; text-decoration: none; }\n\n @media(max-width:600px){\n .masthead-title{font-size:28px;}\n .container{padding:24px 18px 40px;}\n .masthead-inner{padding:24px 18px 20px;}\n .signal-grid{grid-template-columns:1fr;}\n .masthead-meta{flex-wrap:wrap;gap:10px;}\n .mr-result-row{flex-direction:column;align-items:flex-start;gap:8px;}\n }\n<\/style>\n<\/head>\n<body>\n\n<header class=\"masthead\">\n <div class=\"masthead-inner\">\n <div class=\"masthead-label\">Microregistrar.com \u00b7 Weekly Intelligence Digest<\/div>\n <div class=\"masthead-title\">Micro<span>registrar<\/span><br>Weekly Update<\/div>\n <div class=\"masthead-sub\">Communicable disease intelligence for the FRCPath candidate & clinical microbiologist<\/div>\n <div class=\"masthead-meta\">\n <span>Week 21 \u00b7 2026<\/span>\n <span>16\u201323 May 2026<\/span>\n <span>Sources: ECDC \u00b7 UKHSA \u00b7 X\/Social Intelligence<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n\n \n <div class=\"section-header\">\n <div class=\"section-icon\" style=\"background:#0d1a2e;color:#c0952a;\">\ud83c\udf93<\/div>\n <div class=\"section-title\">Microregistrar Platform<\/div>\n <div class=\"section-rule\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <div class=\"mr-compact\">\n <div class=\"mr-result-row\">\n <div class=\"mr-count\">25<\/div>\n <div class=\"mr-result-text\">\n <div class=\"title\">FRCPath Results \u2014 May 2026 Sitting<\/div>\n <div class=\"sub\">Moodlecloud members passed their examination.<br>Congratulations to all 25 candidates.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"chapters-label\">Moodle Content Updates This Week<\/div>\n <div class=\"chapter-row\">\n <span class=\"chapter-tag tag-new\">New<\/span>\n <span>Ebola virus \u2014 comprehensive new chapter<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"chapter-row\">\n <span class=\"chapter-tag tag-new\">New<\/span>\n <span>Hantavirus \u2014 new chapter<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"chapter-row\">\n <span class=\"chapter-tag tag-exam\">Exam Focus<\/span>\n <span>High-yield topics for the next sitting \u2014 new section<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n \n <div class=\"section-header\">\n <div class=\"section-icon\" style=\"background:#2e1a4a;color:#c0b0e8;\">\ud83c\udfdb<\/div>\n <div class=\"section-title\">UKHSA \/ Gov.UK \u2014 Key Alerts (Week 21)<\/div>\n <div class=\"section-rule\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card high\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Hantavirus Disease Added to UK Statutory Notifiable Disease List<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-new\">New \u00b7 Notifiable<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <p>Hantavirus disease was formally added to the UK notifiable diseases list on 19 May 2026. Both the statutory guidance page and the notifiable diseases poster for registered medical practitioners have been updated.<\/p>\n <table class=\"kv-table\">\n <tr><td>HAIRS Risk Assessment<\/td><td>Published 18 May 2026. Qualitative risk assessment for Andes virus infection in a UK rodent. Risk to UK human population assessed as <strong>very low<\/strong> \u2014 the natural rodent reservoir for ANDV is not present in the UK or Europe.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Evidence Review<\/td><td>UKHSA systematic evidence summary published 19 May: human-to-human hantavirus transmission parameters \u2014 incubation period, infectious period, asymptomatic\/presymptomatic transmission, and transmission routes.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Cruise Ship Update<\/td><td>UKHSA published a dedicated update on 22 May covering British nationals involved in the M\/V Hondius ANDV outbreak (South Atlantic).<\/td><\/tr>\n <\/table>\n <div class=\"infobox\">\n <div class=\"ib-label\">FRCPath Relevance<\/div>\n High. Hantavirus is now a notifiable pathogen in the UK. The HFRS vs HPS distinction, Andes virus human-to-human transmission (unique among hantaviruses), and rodent reservoir epidemiology are all examinable at Part 1 and Part 2 level.\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">UKHSA \u00b7 18\u201322 May 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">HAIRS \u00b7 Notifiable Diseases<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card high\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Ebola (Bundibugyo Virus) \u2014 DRC & Uganda: UKHSA Guidance Suite Updated<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-pheic\">PHEIC Declared \u00b7 17 May 2026<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <p>Following WHO’s PHEIC declaration on 17 May 2026, UKHSA updated multiple guidance documents across the week of 18\u201321 May:<\/p>\n <ul>\n <li><strong>Returning Workers Scheme (RWS)<\/strong> updated to reflect confirmed DRC and Uganda outbreak.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Ebola and Marburg: outbreaks and case locations<\/strong> page updated to reflect ongoing incident.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Ebola: overview, history, origins and transmission<\/strong> updated in light of the PHEIC declaration.<\/li>\n <li><strong>VHF ACDP algorithm and guidance on management of patients<\/strong> \u2014 terminology change: “HCID assessment PPE” replaced throughout with <strong>“unified HCID PPE”<\/strong> to reflect renaming of the PPE ensemble.<\/li>\n <li><strong>HCID country-specific risk list<\/strong> updated for Guinea and Saudi Arabia (21 May).<\/li>\n <li><strong>Outbreaks under monitoring<\/strong> updated (week 20, 2026).<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <div class=\"infobox\">\n <div class=\"ib-label\">Key Clinical Point<\/div>\n This outbreak is caused by <strong>Bundibugyo virus<\/strong>, not the more commonly encountered Zaire ebolavirus. There are currently <strong>no licensed vaccines and no specific treatments<\/strong> for Bundibugyo virus disease. This distinguishes it critically from previous UK HCID preparedness planning, which assumed availability of rVSV-ZEBOV (Ervebo) and mAb114\/REGN-EB3.\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">UKHSA \u00b7 18\u201321 May 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">17th Ebola outbreak in DRC<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">HCID \u00b7 VHF<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card medium\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">MERS-CoV \u2014 Comprehensive New Guidance Package Published<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-low\">Risk: Extremely Low (UK)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <p>UKHSA published an extensive suite of new and updated MERS-CoV guidance on 18 May 2026:<\/p>\n <ul>\n <li><strong>Background information<\/strong> (first published) \u2014 transmission, diagnosis, treatment, prevention for public-facing guidance.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Diagnostic testing<\/strong> (first published) \u2014 sample taking, submission and processing guidance for suspected cases.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Diagnosis and management of cases and contacts<\/strong> (first published) \u2014 for healthcare professionals and HPTs.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Biological principles for control of MERS-CoV<\/strong> (first published) \u2014 current knowledge and assumptions on biology and transmission.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Travel from Middle East advice sheet<\/strong> (first published) \u2014 infographic for travellers returning to UK.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Risk assessment updated<\/strong> \u2014 risk for UK travellers to Middle East remains <em>very low<\/em>; risk of acquiring MERS-CoV in the UK formally reduced to <em>extremely low<\/em>.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Minimum dataset form<\/strong> updated to abridged version.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Clinical management and guidance<\/strong> \u2014 ‘MERS-CoV: background information’ added; ‘Diagnosis’ and ‘Public Health Management’ sections removed; travel advice and contacts information sheets updated.<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">UKHSA \u00b7 18 May 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">FRCPath: HCID \/ Zoonoses<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card medium\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">West Nile Virus & Invasive Aedes \u2014 National Contingency Plans Published<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-new\">First Published \u00b7 2026<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <p>Three major One Health vector-borne disease documents published simultaneously on 21 May 2026:<\/p>\n <ul>\n <li><strong>National contingency plan for West Nile Virus in England<\/strong> \u2014 new 2026 plan. Includes a published map and table of local authorities with sites at Level 1 of the WNV plan.<\/li>\n <li><strong>National contingency plan for invasive <em>Aedes<\/em> mosquitoes in England<\/strong> \u2014 supersedes the 2020 plan.<\/li>\n <li><strong>One Health VBD surveillance annual report (2025)<\/strong> \u2014 first annual report of its kind integrating vector, animal, and human surveillance data for England. <strong>Lyme disease remains the most common vector-borne infection in England in 2025.<\/strong><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <p>Tick-borne encephalitis guidance also expanded with additional epidemiology and resource links (21 May).<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">UKHSA \u00b7 21 May 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">One Health \u00b7 VBD \u00b7 Arboviral<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card info\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">New HIV Diagnoses in England \u2014 Provisional Data Published<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-monitor\">First Published<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <p>UKHSA published provisional data on new HIV diagnoses in England (21 May 2026). This is a new annual provisional data report, published earlier than the full annual HIV surveillance report to support timely public health action.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">UKHSA \u00b7 21 May 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">Blood-borne virus surveillance<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card low\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Pertussis Guidance Updated; MMR Community Outbreak PGD Template Added<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-routine\">Operational Update<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <ul>\n <li><strong>Pertussis exclusion period<\/strong> in guidance for children and young people’s settings updated from <strong>14 to 21 days<\/strong>, in line with the revised UKHSA public health management guidelines (21 May 2026).<\/li>\n <li><strong>MMR PGD template<\/strong> for use in community measles outbreaks added to the immunisation PGD template suite (18 May 2026) \u2014 enables non-prescribers to administer MMR vaccine during community outbreaks under a patient group direction.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Pertussis public health management guidelines<\/strong> formally updated with revised forms (21 May).<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">UKHSA \u00b7 18\u201321 May 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">IPC \u00b7 Vaccination \u00b7 PGD<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n \n <div class=\"section-header\">\n <div class=\"section-icon\" style=\"background:#1a4a2e;color:#80e0a0;\">\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa<\/div>\n <div class=\"section-title\">ECDC \u2014 Communicable Disease Threats Report, Week 21<\/div>\n <div class=\"section-rule\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card high\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Andes Virus (ANDV) Outbreak \u2014 M\/V Hondius, South Atlantic<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-high\">11 Cases \u00b7 3 Deaths<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <table class=\"kv-table\">\n <tr><td>Status (22 May)<\/td><td>11 cases total: <strong>9 confirmed, 2 probable. 3 deaths.<\/strong> No new cases or deaths since previous update.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Vessel<\/td><td>M\/V Hondius (Dutch-flagged). Departed Argentina 1 April. Itinerary: mainland Antarctica \u2192 South Georgia \u2192 Nightingale Island \u2192 Tristan da Cunha \u2192 St Helena \u2192 Ascension Island \u2192 (Cabo Verde, next port). Total 149 embarked: 88 passengers, 61 crew. 23 nationalities including 9 EU\/EEA countries.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Disembarkation<\/td><td>122 people (87 guests, 35 crew) disembarked Tenerife 10\u201311 May. Evacuation flights by NL, Spain, France, Ireland, Greece, UK, T\u00fcrkiye, Canada, USA, Australia. Vessel departed Tenerife 11 May; arrived Rotterdam 18 May. 27 remaining (25 crew, 2 medical professionals) disembarked; all asymptomatic individuals in quarantine. Vessel undergoing disinfection.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Genomics<\/td><td>Preliminary sequencing shows <strong>high genetic similarity between isolates<\/strong>, consistent with a single zoonotic spillover event (likely in Argentina, where ANDV is endemic) followed by human-to-human transmission onboard. Further genome results pending.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Transmission hypothesis<\/td><td>Passengers exposed to ANDV in Argentina prior to embarkation; subsequent person-to-person transmission onboard. ANDV is the <strong>only hantavirus with documented efficient human-to-human transmission<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>EU\/EEA risk<\/td><td><strong>Very low.<\/strong> ANDV rodent reservoir absent in Europe. SoHO donor population risk: negligible. Entry screening of returning travellers not recommended by ECDC.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>ECDC actions<\/td><td>Threat Assessment Brief published 6 May 2026. Updated IPC guidance for healthcare settings and self-quarantine recommendations for asymptomatic contacts published. Ongoing epidemiological studies on transmission characteristics.<\/td><\/tr>\n <\/table>\n <div class=\"infobox\">\n <div class=\"ib-label\">Background \u2014 First Documented Cases<\/div>\n First documented human ANDV infections: Argentina, 1996, causing hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). European precedent: two imported HPS cases in travellers returning to Switzerland from South America, 2016.\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">ECDC CDTR \u00b7 W21<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">Last CDTR entry: W20 (13 May 2026)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card high\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Ebola Disease \u2014 Bundibugyo Virus, DRC & Uganda<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-pheic\">PHEIC \u00b7 WHO 17 May 2026<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <table class=\"kv-table\">\n <tr><td>Burden (21 May)<\/td><td>Over <strong>650 suspected cases, 160 deaths<\/strong>. DRC confirmed: <strong>64 cases, 6 deaths<\/strong>. Uganda confirmed: <strong>2 cases, 1 death<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Provinces (DRC)<\/td><td>Ituri (60 confirmed; 4 deaths) and North Kivu (4 confirmed; 2 deaths). Health zones: Rwampara (19), Bunia (6), Nyankunde (4), Mongbwalu (1) in Ituri; Butembo (1), Goma (1), Katwa (1) in North Kivu. Media reports a case in South Kivu (person who travelled from Tsopo Province). Cases in both provincial capitals \u2014 Bunia (Ituri) and Goma (North Kivu). Over 1,000 contacts followed up in Ituri; over 100 in Uganda.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Index case<\/td><td>A nurse who died in a healthcare facility in Bunia. Presentation: fever, bleeding, vomiting, weakness.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Uganda cases<\/td><td>Both confirmed cases had travel links to DRC. First Ugandan case died under treatment in Uganda.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>International cases<\/td><td>An American healthcare worker from the affected area tested positive; transferred to Germany with 6 high-risk contacts (18 May). One additional contact transferred to Czechia.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Genomics<\/td><td>Sequences from DRC and Uganda published (Virological, 18 May). Preliminary analysis shows <strong>distinct sequences from both the 2007 Uganda and 2012 DRC Bundibugyo outbreaks<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Countermeasures<\/td><td><strong>No licensed vaccines. No specific treatments.<\/strong> Unlike Zaire ebolavirus (rVSV-ZEBOV\/Ervebo; mAb114; REGN-EB3), no medical countermeasures are available for Bundibugyo virus.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Declarations<\/td><td>WHO PHEIC: 17 May 2026. Africa CDC Public Health Emergency of Continental Security: 18 May 2026.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>ECDC risk (EU\/EEA)<\/td><td>Infection risk for EU\/EEA travellers to affected areas: <strong>low<\/strong>. Risk for EU\/EEA residents: <strong>very low<\/strong> (very low likelihood of importation and secondary transmission). Outbreak probably larger than currently detected; ongoing insecurity limits surveillance.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Screening policy<\/td><td>ECDC does <strong>not recommend entry screening<\/strong> of returning travellers. Evidence from the 2013\u20132016 West Africa EVD outbreak (tens of thousands of cases; hundreds of EU\/EEA personnel deployed) showed entry screening is time- and resource-consuming without effectively identifying infected cases. <strong>Exit screening is the recommended approach<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Historical context<\/td><td>17th Ebola outbreak in DRC. Most recent prior: 2025, Kasai Province (Zaire ebolavirus). Bundibugyo virus first identified: 2007, Bundibugyo district, Uganda. Last Bundibugyo outbreak: 2012, DRC. The 2018\u20132020 North Kivu\/Ituri outbreak (Zaire ebolavirus): 3,470 cases, 2,287 deaths.<\/td><\/tr>\n <\/table>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">ECDC CDTR \u00b7 W21<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">Threat Assessment Brief: 21 May 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">First CDTR entry this event<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card medium\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Avian Influenza A(H9N2) \u2014 New Human Case, Sichuan Province, China<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-low\">203 Cumulative Cases \u00b7 CFR ~1%<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <table class=\"kv-table\">\n <tr><td>Case<\/td><td>Female child, under 5 years, Sichuan Province. Symptom onset 25 April 2026; reported by WHO 15 May, Hong Kong CHP 16 May 2026.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Clinical<\/td><td>Fever; <strong>symptoms self-resolved<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Exposure<\/td><td>Live poultry market prior to symptom onset.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Contacts<\/td><td>No additional cases detected among close contacts.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Cumulative total<\/td><td>203 human cases (since 1998), 11 countries, 2 deaths. <strong>CFR: 0.98%.<\/strong> Since 2015, China alone has reported 161 cases and 2 deaths (CFR ~1%).<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>ECDC assessment<\/td><td>No evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission. No clusters reported. Risk to EU\/EEA human health: <strong>very low<\/strong>. Most cases cause mild illness; direct contact with infected birds or contaminated environments is the primary route.<\/td><\/tr>\n <\/table>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">ECDC CDTR \u00b7 W21<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">Last CDTR entry: 30 April 2026<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card low\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Respiratory Virus Epidemiology \u2014 EU\/EEA, Week 20<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-routine\">Baseline \/ Inter-seasonal<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <p>All major respiratory viruses at or near baseline across EU\/EEA in week 20.<\/p>\n <table class=\"kv-table\">\n <tr><td>ILI\/ARI (primary care)<\/td><td>Influenza positivity: <strong>0.4%<\/strong> (median; IQR 0\u20130%). RSV: <strong>1.1%<\/strong> (0\u20130.2%). SARS-CoV-2: <strong>2.1%<\/strong> (0\u20130%). 13 countries reporting ARI rates; 16 reporting ILI rates.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>SARI (hospitals)<\/td><td>Influenza: <strong>0.2%<\/strong>. RSV: <strong>1.5%<\/strong> (0\u20135.2%). SARS-CoV-2: <strong>0.6%<\/strong>. 10 countries reporting.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Influenza intensity<\/td><td>18 countries at baseline; 1 at low intensity.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Season-wide subtypes<\/td><td>Influenza A(H3): <strong>60%<\/strong> of typed specimens; A(H1)pdm09: <strong>39%<\/strong>. Influenza B\/Vic: 1%. RSV-B slightly predominant over RSV-A (55% vs 45% of typed RSV).<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>A(H3) subclade<\/td><td>2a.3a.1(K) dominant at 89% of characterised A(H3) sequences.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Data note<\/td><td>TESSy\/ERVISS data temporarily paused due to migration to EpiPulse Cases. Publication expected to resume <strong>22 June 2026<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr>\n <\/table>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">ECDC ERVISS \u00b7 W20<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">Last CDTR entry: 8 May 2026<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card medium\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Chikungunya Virus Disease \u2014 French Guiana, France<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-monitor\">249 Cases YTD \u00b7 Epidemic Phase<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <table class=\"kv-table\">\n <tr><td>Burden (7 May)<\/td><td>249 confirmed autochthonous cases since January 2026. Weekly case counts: week 15: 15; week 16: 33; week 17: 61; week 18: 40.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Geographic phases<\/td><td><strong>Littoral ouest<\/strong> (western border with Suriname): <strong>epidemic phase<\/strong> declared 23 April (198 cases; 80% of total). ORSEC Level 3 (low-intensity epidemic) activated. <strong>\u00cele de Cayenne<\/strong>: outbreak clusters phase. <strong>Maroni and Savanes<\/strong>: sporadic transmission. <strong>Int\u00e9rieur, Int\u00e9rieur Est, Oyapock<\/strong>: surveillance only, no cases.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Virology<\/td><td>All cases RT-PCR confirmed. Strain: <strong>ECSA genotype<\/strong>, lacking the E1-A226V mutation (the mutation that confers efficient replication in <em>Ae. albopictus<\/em>). Genetically close to recent sequences from Cuba and Brazil.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Regional context<\/td><td>Suriname (shares western border): 2,579 cases Jan\u2013mid-March 2026. Last French Guiana outbreak: 2014\u20132015 (>16,000 suspected cases, 500 hospitalisations; estimated 20% seroprevalence by 2017).<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Risk assessment<\/td><td>Risk for travellers to French Guiana: <strong>low<\/strong>. Risk of onward transmission in mainland Europe from viraemic traveller: <strong>low but increasing<\/strong> \u2014 rainy season (Jan\u2013July) ongoing; Aedes activity in mainland Europe increasing seasonally.<\/td><\/tr>\n <tr><td>Prevention<\/td><td>Mosquito repellent, bed nets, screened\/air-conditioned accommodation, covering clothing. Vaccination per national recommendations where available.<\/td><\/tr>\n <\/table>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">ECDC CDTR \u00b7 W21<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">Last CDTR entry: 12 May 2026<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card medium\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Measles \u2014 EU\/EEA & Global Monitoring (Monthly)<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-monitor\">3,607 Cases \u00b7 12mo EU\/EEA<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <p><strong>EU\/EEA \u2014 12 months (1 April 2025 \u2013 31 March 2026):<\/strong> 3,607 cases; 3,098 (85.9%) lab-confirmed. 5 deaths: France (3), Netherlands (1), Romania (1). CFR: 0.14%.<\/p>\n <ul>\n <li>Age: 31.7% in children <5 years; 45.1% aged \u226515 years. Highest notification rates: infants <1 year (90.8\/million); children 1\u20134 years (48.9\/million).<\/li>\n <li>Vaccination status (84% of cases with known status): <strong>78.2% unvaccinated<\/strong>; 10.6% one dose; 9.9% two or more doses.<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <p><strong>March 2026 (most recent monthly data):<\/strong> 172 cases across 12 countries; 18 countries reported zero. Highest: Bulgaria (52), Italy (44), Spain (24), France (15), Germany (11). Case numbers increased vs previous month.<\/p>\n <p><strong>Active outbreaks (20 May 2026 epidemic intelligence):<\/strong><\/p>\n <ul>\n <li><strong>Bulgaria<\/strong>: 277 cases YTD (week 1\u201320). Outbreak began 19 March. Centred in Vratsa (150), Pleven (48), Lovech (18). Majority in children (189\/225). Over 28,000 MMR doses administered in response.<\/li>\n <li><strong>France<\/strong>: 77 cases Jan\u2013April 2026; 12 outbreaks reported, 3 still active. Cases in 24 departments. 54% of cases with known vaccination status were not fully vaccinated.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Germany<\/strong>: 82 confirmed\/probable cases (weeks 1\u201321 2026), +23 since week 15.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Latvia<\/strong>: 49 confirmed cases (outbreak; data to 15 April).<\/li>\n <li><strong>Spain<\/strong>: 118 cases Jan\u201317 May (10 imported, 25 import-linked).<\/li>\n <li><strong>Portugal<\/strong>: outbreak in Beja; 3 cases, ~500 contacts.<\/li>\n <li><strong>England<\/strong>: 542 lab-confirmed cases, no deaths (Jan\u201327 April 2026).<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <p><strong>Global highlights:<\/strong><\/p>\n <ul>\n <li><strong>Bangladesh<\/strong>: 57,856 children with measles-like symptoms; 8,067 confirmed; 481 deaths (80 confirmed); 45,128 hospitalisations since 15 March 2026.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Mexico<\/strong>: 10,945 confirmed cases + 13 deaths in 2026; Jalisco most affected (9,847 cases). Declining after week 6 peak.<\/li>\n <li><strong>USA<\/strong>: 1,893 cases Jan\u201314 May 2026 (93% outbreak-associated; 92% in unvaccinated).<\/li>\n <li><strong>Canada<\/strong>: 1,018 cases (941 confirmed); multijurisdictional outbreak ongoing.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Japan<\/strong>: 479 cases weeks 1\u201319 (exceeds all of 2025: 265 cases); 86% in teenagers and adults; 38 imported.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Africa CDC<\/strong>: 3,422 confirmed + 92,537 suspected cases; 633 deaths from 21 AU member states in 2026.<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <div class=\"infobox\">\n <div class=\"ib-label\">FIFA World Cup 2026 Risk Note<\/div>\n ECDC provides a specific alert regarding the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 (Canada, Mexico, USA \u2014 all countries with active transmission). Travellers should verify vaccination status before departure.\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">ECDC CDTR \u00b7 W21 (monthly)<\/span>\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">Last CDTR entry: 17 April 2026<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <div class=\"event-card info\">\n <div class=\"event-header\">\n <div class=\"event-title\">Other Events Under Active ECDC Monitoring<\/div>\n <span class=\"risk-badge badge-routine\">Monitoring<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-body\">\n <ul>\n <li><strong>Salmonella Bovismorbificans<\/strong> \u2014 ECDC\/EFSA Rapid Outbreak Assessment in preparation for a multi-country outbreak linked to sprouted seeds. Expected publication: 25 June 2026.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Mpox (Clades I & II)<\/strong> \u2014 global and EU\/EEA outbreak under monitoring; last updated 8\u201313 May 2026.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Avian influenza A(H5N6)<\/strong> \u2014 human cases monitoring; last updated 13 May 2026.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Swine influenza A(H1N2)v<\/strong> \u2014 multi-country human cases; last updated 13 May 2026.<\/li>\n <li><strong>MERS-CoV<\/strong> \u2014 monthly update; last updated 8 May 2026.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Cholera<\/strong> \u2014 global monitoring; last updated 30 April 2026.<\/li>\n <li><strong>Multi-country Salmonella Stanley ST2045 cluster<\/strong> \u2014 last updated 8 May 2026.<\/li>\n <li><strong>SARS-CoV-2 variant classification<\/strong> \u2014 last updated 30 April 2026.<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"event-meta\">\n <span class=\"meta-pill\">ECDC CDTR \u00b7 W21<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n \n <div class=\"section-header\">\n <div class=\"section-icon\" style=\"background:#3a2a1a;color:#c0a060;\">\ud83d\udce1<\/div>\n <div class=\"section-title\">Social Intelligence \u2014 X.com (16\u201323 May, UK & Europe)<\/div>\n <div class=\"section-rule\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <div class=\"signal-grid\">\n <div class=\"signal-card\">\n <div class=\"signal-name\">H5N1 \/ Avian Influenza<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-detail\">Surge in poultry outbreaks in Poland; new H5N1 cases logged across Europe. Mammalian spillover signals (dairy cattle, Arctic mammals). UK farming policy tie-in: RSPCA mandatory outbreak plans for turkey farms. Activist calls for industry shutdown in some posts.<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-geo\">GEO: Europe-wide (Poland focus) \u00b7 Last 48h active<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-volume\">\n <div class=\"vol-dot on\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot on\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot on\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-card\">\n <div class=\"signal-name\">MenB \/ IMD Vaccination<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-detail\">UKHSA provisional 2024\u201325 data circulating: 378 lab-confirmed IMD cases, 31 deaths; MenB predominant. Calls for phased adolescent catch-up MenB programme in England. Cross-protection of 4CMenB (Bexsero) against gonorrhoea highlighted as dual benefit.<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-geo\">GEO: England (Reading, Dorset, national) \u00b7 Last 48h active<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-volume\">\n <div class=\"vol-dot on gold\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot on gold\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot on gold\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot on gold\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-card\">\n <div class=\"signal-name\">Pertussis NHS Campaigns<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-detail\">NHS regional catch-up campaigns active (Cheshire\/Merseyside; Leicester\/Leicestershire & Rutland). Mobile vaccine clinics, red book checks. Clinician notes of local circulation hotspots requiring antibiotics and vaccination.<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-geo\">GEO: England (NHS ICB level)<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-volume\">\n <div class=\"vol-dot on\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot on\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-card\">\n <div class=\"signal-name\">AMR Policy & NHS Stewardship<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-detail\">UK\u2013Gulf Cooperation Council trade deal includes explicit AMR commitments alongside animal welfare. NHS antibiotic line-flushing and disposal challenges (operational underdosing\/environmental risk) discussed by experts and referenced to peer-reviewed commentary.<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-geo\">GEO: UK (policy & NHS operational) \u00b7 Last 48h active<\/div>\n <div class=\"signal-volume\">\n <div class=\"vol-dot on\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot on\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot\"><\/div><div class=\"vol-dot\"><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <div class=\"alert-box alert-signal\">\n <div class=\"alert-label\">\u26a1 Weak Signal \u2014 Experts Before Mainstream<\/div>\n <p><strong>4CMenB (Bexsero) cross-protection against gonorrhoea<\/strong> being actively discussed as a dual public health and AMR-reduction benefit in the NHS England programme context. Proposed mechanism: outer membrane vesicle components shared between <em>N. meningitidis<\/em> and <em>N. gonorrhoeae<\/em>. If the population-level gonorrhoea burden reduction is validated at scale, it could fundamentally reframe the cost-effectiveness case for broader adolescent MenB vaccination in England beyond current programme boundaries.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <div class=\"alert-box alert-signal\">\n <div class=\"alert-label\">\u26a1 Weak Signal \u2014 Circulating Non-COVID Respiratory Viruses<\/div>\n <p>Community clinicians in the UK noting ongoing rhinovirus and hMPV (human metapneumovirus) circulation. Not captured in ECDC ERVISS data at headline level this week \u2014 worth monitoring as summer school holiday movement begins.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <div class=\"alert-box alert-unverified\">\n <div class=\"alert-label\">\u26a0 Unverified \u2014 Treat with Caution<\/div>\n <p><strong>Swine flu park closure, Barcelona:<\/strong> Claim circulating on X that swine flu is responsible for months-long closure of Collserola metropolitan park (largest metropolitan park in Europe). Scepticism expressed by multiple accounts regarding the official rationale. <strong>No official confirmation from Spanish or Catalan health authorities has been identified.<\/strong> Anecdotal only \u2014 do not act on this signal.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<footer class=\"footer\">\n <div>MICROREGISTRAR.COM \u00b7 Week 21, 16\u201323 May 2026<\/div>\n <div style=\"margin-top:5px;\">Sources: ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report W21 (16\u201322 May 2026) \u00b7 UKHSA \/ Gov.UK updates (16\u201322 May 2026) \u00b7 X\/Social intelligence synthesis (7-day, UK & Europe)<\/div>\n <div style=\"margin-top:5px;\">This newsletter is for educational and professional development purposes. It does not constitute clinical advice.<br>Verify all clinical decisions against current national guidelines.<\/div>\n <div style=\"margin-top:8px; opacity:0.5;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\">microregistrar.com<\/a><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n\n<\/body>\n<\/html>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Microregistrar Weekly Intelligence | Week 21, 2026 Microregistrar.com \u00b7 Weekly Intelligence Digest MicroregistrarWeekly Update Communicable disease intelligence for the FRCPath […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1339","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1339"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1339\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1340,"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1339\/revisions\/1340"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microregistrar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}