Re-emergence of enterovirus D68 in Europe after easing the COVID-19 lockdown, September 2021.

We report a rapid increase in enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) infections, with 139 cases reported from eight European countries between 31 July and 14 October 2021. This upsurge is in line with the seasonality of EV-D68 and was presumably stimulated by the widespread reopening after COVID-19 lockdown. Most cases were identified in September, but more are to be expected in the coming months. Reinforcement of clinical awareness, diagnostic capacities and surveillance of EV-D68 is urgently needed in Europe.

[SARS-CoV-2 transmission routes and implications for self- and non-self-protection]. / SARS-CoV-2-Übertragungswege und Implikationen für den Selbst- und Fremdschutz.

The global spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV­2 has massively impacted health, economic, and social systems. Although effective vaccines are now available, it is likely that this pathogen will become endemic and stay with us for years. In order to most effectively protect others and oneself from SARS-CoV­2 infection, an understanding of how SARS-CoV­2 is transmitted is of utmost importance.In this review paper, we explain transmission routes with an eye towards protecting others and oneself. We also address characteristics of SARS-CoV­2 transmission in the community. This work will help to clarify the following questions based on the available literature: When and for how long is an infected person contagious? How is the virus excreted? How is the virus taken up? How does the virus spread in society?Human-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV­2 is strongly determined by pathogen molecular characteristics as well as the kinetics of replication, shedding, and infection. SARS-CoV­2 is transmitted primarily via human aerosols, which infected persons can excrete even if symptoms of the disease are not (yet) present. Most infected people cause only a few secondary cases, whereas a few cases (so-called super-spreaders) cause a high number of secondary infections - at the population level one speaks of a so-called "overdispersion." These special characteristics of SARS-CoV­2 (asymptomatic aerosol transmission and overdispersion) make the pandemic difficult to control.

[Recording of SARS-CoV-2 laboratory tests in Germany]. / Erfassung der Labortestungen auf SARS-CoV-2 in Deutschland.

The collection of data on SARS-CoV­2 tests is central to the assessment of the infection rate in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), data collected from various laboratory data recording systems are consolidated. First, this article aims to exemplify significant aspects regarding test procedures. Subsequently the different systems for recording laboratory tests are described and test numbers from the RKI test laboratory query and the laboratory-based SARS-CoV­2 surveillance as well as accounting data from the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians for SARS-CoV­2 laboratory tests are shown.Early in the pandemic, the RKI test laboratory query and the laboratory-based SARS-CoV­2 surveillance became available and able to evaluate data on performed tests and test capacities. By recording the positive and negative test results, statements about the total number of tests and the proportion of positive test rates can be made. While the aggregate test numbers are largely representative nationwide, they are not always representative at the state and district level. The billing data of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians can complement the laboratory data afterwards. In addition, it can provide a retrospective assessment of the total number of SARS-CoV­2 numbers in Germany, because the services provided by statutory health insurers (around 85% of the population in Germany) are included. The various laboratory data recording systems complement one another and the evaluations flow into the recommended measures for the pandemic response.