EU Sees Increase of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks in 2021; Still Lower than Pre-Pandemic Levels
There was an overall increase in reported cases of zoonotic diseases and foodborne illness outbreaks in 2021 compared to 2020, the latest EU One Health 2021 Zoonoses Report revealed. However, cases and outbreaks are still below the levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the EU One Health 2021 Zoonoses Report, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) collected data on zoonoses monitoring and surveillance activities carried out in 2021. Included in the data is the occurrence of zoonotic microorganisms in food and feed sources, food-producing animals, companion animals, and wild animals, as well as human zoonotic illnesses and human cases related to foodborne illness outbreaks. Information was gathered from 27 EU Member States (MSs), Northern Ireland, and nine non-MSs.