Inside EU Health: Sexually transmitted diseases; safety at work; hantavirus
Sexually transmitted diseases are rising sharply; Parliament pushes a ‘Vision Zero’ for workplace accidents; MEPs clash over EU health powers after MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak
Sexually transmitted diseases are rising sharply
Sexually transmitted infections are rising sharply across Europe, according to new data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Gonorrhoea cases increased by 303% since 2015, reaching more than 106,000 in 2024, while syphilis infections more than doubled to over 45,000. Chlamydia remains the most common bacterial STI, with more than 213,000 cases recorded.
Health officials are especially concerned by the near doubling of congenital syphilis cases, where infection passes from mother to child during pregnancy. Bulgaria, Hungary and Portugal accounted for more than half of reported cases in the EU and EEA.
Experts say the rise is linked to several factors, including changing sexual behaviour after COVID-19, declining condom use, dating apps and increased testing among people using HIV prevention medication. The ECDC is urging governments to expand testing, improve antenatal screening and modernise national STI strategies.
Catherine Feore
Parliament pushes a ‘Vision Zero’ for workplace accidents
The European Parliament has backed a proposal to establish 8 August as a European Day in Remembrance of the Victims of Accidents at Work and for the Protection and Dignity of Workers. Adopted today (21 May), the resolution forms part of a broader push to reduce work-related accidents, illnesses and deaths across the EU.
Rapporteur Chiara Gemma MEP (ECR, Italy) said remembrance must be linked to stronger prevention measures and support for the EU’s “Vision Zero” objective of eliminating workplace fatalities.
According to Parliament, 3,298 workers died in workplace accidents in the EU in 2023, while around 2.8 million non-fatal accidents led to absences of at least four days. High-risk sectors include construction, transport, manufacturing and agriculture.
The Parliament highlighted emerging risks linked to AI and algorithmic management systems, particularly for platform workers subject to automated monitoring and performance evaluation. MEPs further urged the Commission to address climate-related workplace hazards such as heat stress, extreme weather and air pollution.
MEPs clash over EU health powers after MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak
The European Parliament used a debate on the response to the hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius to rehearse a familiar post-COVID argument: Europe needs more joint health coordination.
Most mainstream groups hailed the EU response to the outbreak, which left three people dead and triggered a multinational evacuation effort involving passengers from more than 20 countries. MEPs pointed to the activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) as evidence that “Europe is stronger” after the pandemic.
Renew’s Stine Bosse called the operation “our Health Union in action”, while Socialist lawmakers praised the “rapid and effective response” coordinated with the WHO. Several speakers warned that “viruses don’t respect borders” and demanded more investment in preparedness, laboratories and medical stockpiles.
But the debate also exposed deep divisions with the far right. Europe of Sovereign Nations MEP Christine Anderson (Germany) accused Brussels of exploiting the outbreak to justify “more centralisation” and “fear-driven politics.”
“Let's imagine that we'd followed the example of the far right, and we'd left the WHO. Luckily, this didn't happen, and in fact, the United States has actually thanked the rest of the world for their activity in relation to this,” said French centre-right MEP Laurent Castillo. He said it was proof that cutting budget was not the way forward, “we need medical research, we need a strong budget for the health area, and we need to continue supporting the WHO.”