Vaccination coverage for vaccinations in the Dutch National Vaccination Program (NIP) decreased slightly by about half a percent for the third consecutive year.

Since May 2015, there has been a Zika virus outbreak in South and Central America, including the Caribbean. The Zika virus can cause birth defects, including microcephaly (small head size).

An increasing number of clients tested at a Dutch STI clinic for a sexually transmitted infection (STI) is diagnosed with gonorrhoea, syphilis and chlamydia.

There is a large international outbreak currently of hepatitis A, mostly among gay and bisexual men. In several European countries more than 1,000 patients have been reported.

People who live near poultry farms and goat farms suffer from pneumonia more often. In the area surveyed, every year about 1650 people per 100,000 residents get pneumonia.

The National Heat Plan became active in the Netherlands on June 19th. This means that it is necessary to take preventive health measures for vulnerable groups.

The concentrations of the 43 most important greenhouse gases are at unprecedented, record-high levels compared to the last higher than ever in the past 800,000 years.

The application of nanotechnology to design and produce medical devices is increasing. RIVM provides an overview of nanotechnology enabled medical devices.

According to the RIVM report ‘Tuberculosis in the Netherlands 2014’, a total of 823 people were diagnosed with TB last year. That is 21 fewer patients than in 2013.

There seem to be sufficient alternatives available for the majority of disinfectants and preservatives containing the carcinogenic substance formaldehyde.