RIVM European Reference Lab for vector-borne infections The European Commission (EC) has designated RIVM as the current European Reference Lab (EURL) for vector-borne viral pathogens.
Dutch consumers can eat healthier and more environmentally sustainable for the same amount of money The Dutch diet can be healthier and more environmentally sustainable without costing consumers more money. This holds for all socio-economic groups in the Netherlands. This concludes Reina Vellinga (RIVM) in her doctoral thesis. Even with minor adjustments, our diet becomes much healthier and with less impact on the environment.
Number of tuberculosis patients in the Netherlands increased in 2023 compared to 2022 In 2023, 710 people in the Netherlands were diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB). This was 12 per cent more than in 2022, when there were 634. In 2023, 471 patients had pulmonary TB. Of these 417 patients, 213 had open TB – the most contagious type.
Decrease in visits to GP only during first wave of COVID-19 crisis During the first wave of infections in the Netherlands during the COVID-19 crisis (March–June 2020), the total number of visits to the GP was 11% lower than during the same period in 2019.
More than 1 in 5 young people had suicidal thoughts during last lockdown More than 1 in 5 young people (22%) between the ages of 12 and 25 years seriously thought about ending their lives between December 2021 and February 2022. A lockdown was in effect in the Netherlands at that time.
From 1 June 2022, heel prick test also screens for muscle disease SMA, bringing number of screened diseases to 26 From 1 June 2022, the heel prick test for Dutch newborns will also screen for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). SMA is a serious hereditary muscle condition. Detecting this disease at an early stage enables early treatment.
Tailor-made information will help immigrants make decisions on taking part in screening programmes Immigrants are relatively less likely to take part in preventive screening programmes, such as cancer screening. This is partly due to the language barrier and a lack of knowledge, according to a doctoral thesis by Nora Hamdiui.
People who work at night are more likely to get infected with coronavirus People who occasionally or regularly work at night are 37% more likely to test positive for coronavirus than people who only work during the daytime. This is one of the conclusions of a study by the RIVM (Netherlands).