Grey heron infected with West Nile virus A grey heron in the Noord-Holland-Noord region has tested positive for the West Nile virus. The virus is rare in the Netherlands. Bas van de Meulengraaf
Launch of the European project RISK-HUNT3R The new Horizon 2020 project RISK-HUNT3R: RISK assessment of chemicals integrating HUman centric Next generation Testing strategies promoting the 3Rs was launched on 1 June.
Report on the developments of the National Immunisation Programme: national immunisation coverage increased slightly for the first time in five years National immunisation coverage has increased for the first time in five years, for almost all vaccinations. For children born in 2017, vaccination coverage against mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) increased by 0.7% to 93.6%.
Updated immunisation recommendation for measles: early vaccination before travel A number of European countries are currently seeing outbreaks of measles. Before the start of the summer season, RIVM has therefore updated its immunisation recommendation for measles.
Slightly fewer adult smokers In 2018, 22.4 per cent of the Dutch adult population indicated they were occasional smokers.
Discussion regarding health-based guidance value of PFOA The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a provisional health-based guidance value for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
Animal-free innovations in safety assessment of chemicals How can the process of validation, acceptance and use of animal-free innovative approaches to assess the safety of chemicals be facilitated?
Risks of potential release of genetically modified mosquitoes evaluated On Saba, a Dutch Caribbean island, diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and zika can be reduced by the use of genetically modified mosquitoes.
Risk of measles outbreaks increases with decreasing vaccination coverage Vaccination coverage for vaccinations in the Dutch National Vaccination Program (NIP) decreased slightly by about half a percent for the third consecutive year.
Measles epidemic and Salmonella outbreak cost nearly six million euros The most recent measles epidemic and outbreak of Salmonella Thomson due to smoked salmon have cost 3.9 and 1.7 million euros, respectively.