scholarly journals Infectious Disease Risk After the Great East Japan Earthquake

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 741-745 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoshi Mimura ◽  
◽  
Taro Kamigaki ◽  
Hitoshi Oshitani
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Great East Japan Earthquake ◽  
Public Health Services ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks

Infectious disease outbreaks in postdisaster settings provide significant social impact although those outbreaks do not always occur. It is important to assess the potential risks of infectious disease in each setting. The Great East Japan Earthquake, which occurred March 11, 2011, imposed a huge impact on public health services. After the earthquake and following tsunami, many evacuation centers were sites of crowding as well as poor sanitation conditions because of the large- scale of destruction. Some shelters became sites of infectious disease outbreaks such as influenza and norovirus enteritis, although the size of these outbreaks was quite localized. Improvements in the response to infectious diseases through lessons learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake are expected to be the triggers for improving preparedness for public health emergencies.

scholarly journals Genome sequencing and its use in public health responses to COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 44
Author(s):  
John-Sebastian Eden
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Influenza Pandemic ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Aids Epidemic ◽  
1918 Influenza

Human history has been shaped by the heavy burden of infectious disease pandemics. Yet, despite the bitter lessons learned from history, even those in living memory such as the 1918 influenza pandemic and HIV/AIDS epidemic, COVID-19 stands unique in the sudden, immense health and economic impacts to the global human population. While the costs have been great, and the long-term consequences are still being revealed, the urgent need for action has also brought forward rapid developments and innovations to combat COVID-19 and better prepare us for future infectious disease outbreaks. One such area has been the widespread adoption of whole genome sequencing to inform public health responses. Genome sequencing during the COVID-19 pandemic has become key to tracking the spread of SARS-CoV-2 at all scales, to such a degree that terms such as genomics, mutations, variants and clusters are now common vernacular to politicians, health officials and the general public. This article provides a commentary on the genesis and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 genome sequencing, and its critical on-going role in the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Using prediction polling to harness collective intelligence for disease forecasting

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tara Kirk Sell ◽  
Kelsey Lane Warmbrod ◽  
Crystal Watson ◽  
Marc Trotochaud ◽  
Elena Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Collective Intelligence ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Long Term Experiment

Abstract Background The global spread of COVID-19 has shown that reliable forecasting of public health related outcomes is important but lacking. Methods We report the results of the first large-scale, long-term experiment in crowd-forecasting of infectious-disease outbreaks, where a total of 562 volunteer participants competed over 15 months to make forecasts on 61 questions with a total of 217 possible answers regarding 19 diseases. Results Consistent with the “wisdom of crowds” phenomenon, we found that crowd forecasts aggregated using best-practice adaptive algorithms are well-calibrated, accurate, timely, and outperform all individual forecasters. Conclusions Crowd forecasting efforts in public health may be a useful addition to traditional disease surveillance, modeling, and other approaches to evidence-based decision making for infectious disease outbreaks.

scholarly journals What makes health systems resilient against infectious disease outbreaks and natural hazards? Results from a scoping review

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer B. Nuzzo ◽  
Diane Meyer ◽  
Michael Snyder ◽  
Sanjana J. Ravi ◽  
Ana Lapascu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Health System ◽  
Natural Hazards ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
World Health ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
System Resilience

Abstract Background The 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak was a wake-up call regarding the critical importance of resilient health systems. Fragile health systems can become overwhelmed during public health crises, further exacerbating the human, economic, and political toll. Important work has been done to describe the general attributes of a health system resilient to these crises, and the next step will be to identify the specific capacities that health systems need to develop and maintain to achieve resiliency. Methods We conducted a scoping review of the literature to identify recurring themes and capacities needed for health system resiliency to infectious disease outbreaks and natural hazards and any existing implementation frameworks that highlight these capacities. We also sought to identify the overlap of the identified themes and capacities with those highlighted in the World Health Organization’s Joint External Evaluation. Sources of evidence included PubMed, Web of Science, OAIster, and the websites of relevant major public health organizations. Results We identified 16 themes of health system resilience, including: the need to develop plans for altered standards of care during emergencies, the need to develop plans for post-event recovery, and a commitment to quality improvement. Most of the literature described the general attributes of a resilient health system; no implementation frameworks were identified that could translate these elements into specific capacities that health system actors can employ to improve resilience to outbreaks and natural hazards in a variety of settings. Conclusions An implementation-oriented health system resilience framework could help translate the important components of a health system identified in this review into specific capacities that actors in the health system could work to develop to improve resilience to public health crises. However, there remains a need to further refine the concept of resilience so that health systems can simultaneously achieve sustainable transformations in healthcare practice and health service delivery as well as improve their preparedness for emergencies.

scholarly journals Ethics of instantaneous contact tracing using mobile phone apps in the control of the COVID-19 pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 427-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J Parker ◽  
Christophe Fraser ◽  
Lucie Abeler-Dörner ◽  
David Bonsall
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Mobile Phone Data ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Ethical Implications

In this paper we discuss ethical implications of the use of mobile phone apps in the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. Contact tracing is a well-established feature of public health practice during infectious disease outbreaks and epidemics. However, the high proportion of pre-symptomatic transmission in COVID-19 means that standard contact tracing methods are too slow to stop the progression of infection through the population. To address this problem, many countries around the world have deployed or are developing mobile phone apps capable of supporting instantaneous contact tracing. Informed by the on-going mapping of ‘proximity events’ these apps are intended both to inform public health policy and to provide alerts to individuals who have been in contact with a person with the infection. The proposed use of mobile phone data for ‘intelligent physical distancing’ in such contexts raises a number of important ethical questions. In our paper, we outline some ethical considerations that need to be addressed in any deployment of this kind of approach as part of a multidimensional public health response. We also, briefly, explore the implications for its use in future infectious disease outbreaks.

scholarly journals A Public Health Systems View of Risk Communication About Zika

2020 ◽  
Vol 135 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-353
Author(s):  
Tara Kirk Sell ◽  
Sanjana J. Ravi ◽  
Crystal Watson ◽  
Diane Meyer ◽  
Laura E. Pechta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Risk Communication ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Public Information ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Disease Response

Objectives The spread of Zika virus throughout Latin America and parts of the United States in 2016 and 2017 presented a challenge to public health communicators. The objective of our study was to describe emergency risk communication practices during the 2016-2017 Zika outbreak to inform future infectious disease communication efforts. Methods We conducted semi-structured telephone interviews with 13 public health policy makers and practitioners, 10 public information officers, and 5 vector-control officials from May through August 2017. Results Within the public health macro-environment, extended outbreak timeframe, government trust, US residence status, and economic insecurity set the backdrop for Zika communication efforts. Limited resources, staffing, and partnerships negatively affected public health structural capacity for communication efforts. Public health communicators and practitioners used a range of processes and practices to engage in education and outreach, including fieldwork, community meetings, and contact with health care providers. Overall, public health agencies’ primary goals were to prevent Zika infection, reduce transmission, and prevent adverse birth outcomes. Conclusions Lessons learned from this disease response included understanding the macro-environment, developing partnerships across agencies and the community, and valuing diverse message platforms. These lessons can be used to improve communication approaches for health officials at the local, state, and federal levels during future infectious disease outbreaks.

scholarly journals The accelerated infectious disease risk in the Anthropocene: more outbreaks and wider global spread

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serge Morand ◽  
Bruno A. Walther
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Economic Growth ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Disease Networks ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Climate Crisis ◽  
Human Infectious Disease

The greatly accelerated economic growth during the Anthropocene has resulted in astonishing improvements in many aspects of human well-being, but has also caused the acceleration of risks, such as the interlinked biodiversity and climate crisis. Here, we report on another risk: the accelerated infectious disease risk associated with the number and geographic spread of human infectious disease outbreaks. Using the most complete, reliable, and up-to-date database on human infectious disease outbreaks (GIDEON), we show that the number of disease outbreaks, the number of diseases involved in these outbreaks, and the number of countries affected have increased during the entire Anthropocene. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of these outbreaks is becoming more globalized in the sense that the overall modularity of the disease networks across the globe has decreased, meaning disease outbreaks have become increasingly pandemic in their nature. This decrease in modularity is correlated with the increase in air traffic. We finally show that those countries and regions which are most central within these disease networks tend to be countries with higher GDPs. Therefore, one cost of increased global mobility and greater economic growth is the increased risk of disease outbreaks and their faster and wider spread. We briefly discuss three different scenarios which decision-makers might follow in light of our results.

scholarly journals Facemask shortage and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak: Reflection on public health measures

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huailiang Wu ◽  
Jian Huang ◽  
Casper J. P. Zhang ◽  
Zonglin He ◽  
Wai-Kit Ming
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Wuhan City ◽  
Medical Resources ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Effective Public Health

AbstractBackgroundA novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak due to SARS-CoV-2 infection occurred in China in late-December 2019. Facemask wearing is considered as one of the most cost-effective and important measures to prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, but it became a social concern due to the recent global facemask shortage. China is the major facemask producer in the world, contributing to 50% of global production. However, even full productivity (20 million facemasks per day) does not seem to meet the need of a population of 1.4 billion in China.MethodsPolicy review using government websites and shortage analysis using mathematical modelling based on data obtained from the National Health Commission (NHC), the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the People’s Republic of China, and Wuhan Bureau of Statistics.FindingsSupplies of facemasks in the whole of China would have been sufficient for both healthcare workers and the general population if the COVID-19 outbreak only occurred in Wuhan city or Hubei province. However, if the outbreak occurred in the whole of China, facemask supplies in China could last for 5 days if under the existing public health measures and a shortage of 853 million facemasks is expected by 30 Apr 2020. Assuming a gradually decreased import volume, we estimated that dramatic increase in productivity (42.7 times of the usual level) is needed to mitigate the facemask crisis by the end of April.InterpretationIn light of the COVID-19 outbreak in China, a shortage of facemasks and other medical resources can considerably compromise the efficacy of public health measures. Effective public health measures should also consider the adequacy and affordability of medical resources. Global collaboration should be strengthened to prevent the development of a global pandemic from a regional epidemic via easing the medical resources crisis in the affected countries.Research in contextEvidence before this studyWe searched PubMed and Web of Science for articles in English, between 1 Jan 1980, and 1 Jan 2020, using the search terms 1) (infection OR infectious disease* OR outbreaks) AND (modelling); and 2) (mask* OR facemask* OR medical resource*) AND (infection OR infectious disease* OR outbreaks). Most relevant studies identified were performed to predict diseases spread and to determine the original infection source of previous epidemics like SARS and H7N9. However, few studies focused on the medical resources crisis during the outbreaks.Added value of this studyTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the facemask shortage during the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) outbreak in China. We have summarized in detail the management strategies implemented by the Chinese governments during the outbreaks. By considering three scenarios for the outbreak development, we simulated the facemasks availability from late-December 2019 to late-April 2020 and estimated the duration of sufficient facemask supplies. Our findings showed that if the COVID-19 outbreak occurred only in Wuhan city or Hubei province, facemask shortage would not appear with the existing public health measures. However, if the outbreak occurred in the whole of China, a shortage of facemask could be substantial assuming no alternative public health measures.Implications of all the available evidenceOur findings provide insight into the public health measures to confront medical resources crisis during infectious disease outbreaks. Effective public health measures should consider the adequacy and affordability of existing medical resources. Governments across the world should revisit their emergency plans for controlling infectious disease outbreaks by taking into account the supply of and demand for the medical resource. Global collaboration should be strengthened to prevent the development of a global pandemic from a regional epidemic via easing the medical resources crisis in the affected countries.

scholarly journals If long-term suppression is not possible, how do we minimize mortality for COVID-19 and other emerging infectious disease outbreaks?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Handel ◽  
Joel C. Miller ◽  
Yang Ge ◽  
Isaac Chun-Hai Fung
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Public Health Interventions ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Long Time

As COVID-19 continues to spread, public health interventions are crucial to minimize its impact. The most desirable goal is to drive the pathogen quickly to extinction. This generally involves applying interventions as strongly as possible, which worked for SARS, but so far has failed for COVID-19. If fast eradication is not achievable, the next best goal is to delay the spread and minimize cases and burden on the health care system until suitable drugs or vaccines are available. This suppression approach also calls for strong interventions, potentially applied for a long time.

scholarly journals To what extent does evidence support decision making during infectious disease outbreaks? A scoping literature review

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 453-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreea Salajan ◽  
Svetla Tsolova ◽  
Massimo Ciotti ◽  
Jonathan E. Suk
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Expert Advice ◽  
Scientific Uncertainty ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Decision Making Processes

Background:Infectious disease outbreaks require decision makers to make rapid decisions under time pressure and situations of scientific uncertainty, and yet the role of evidence usage in these contexts is poorly understood. Aims and objectives:To define and contextualise the role of scientific evidence in the governance of infectious disease outbreaks and to identify recommendations for overcoming common barriers to evidence-informed decision making. Methods:A scoping review and an expert workshop to provide additional input into recommendations on enhancing evidence uptake during infectious disease outbreaks taking place in European settings. Findings:Forty-nine records reporting on multiple decision-making processes during infectious disease outbreaks of the past ten years were included in the study. Decision makers prioritise expert advice, epidemiological data and mathematical modelling data for risk characterisation and management, but tend to be challenged by scientific uncertainties, which allow for conflicting interpretations of evidence and for public criticism and contestation of decision-making processes. There are concrete opportunities for optimising evidence usage to improve public health policy and practice through investment in decision-making competencies, relationship building, and promoting transparent decision-making processes. Discussion and conclusions:It is not necessarily a disregard of evidence that puts a strain on decision making in health crises, but rather competing interests and the lack of clear, unambiguous and rapidly available evidence for risk characterisation and effectiveness of response measures.The relationship between science and public health decision making is relatively understudied but is deserving of greater attention, so as to ensure that the pursuit of evidence for decision making does not challenge timely and effective crisis management.

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