scholarly journals Preparedness for SARS in the UK in 2003

2004 ◽  
Vol 359 (1447) ◽  
pp. 1131-1132 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Harper
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Southern China ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
World Health ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Public Health Action ◽  
National Public Health ◽  
Health Action ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Uk

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has been described as the first major emerging infectious disease of the twenty–first century. Having initially emerged, almost unnoticed, in southern China, it rapidly spread across the globe. It severely tested national public health and health systems. However, it also resulted in rapid, intensive international collaboration, led by the World Health Organization, to elucidate its characteristics and cause and to contain its spread. The UK mounted a vigorous public health response. Some particular issues concerned: the practicalities of implementing exit screening had this been required; the likely efficacy of this and other control measures; the legal base for public health action; and the surge capacity in all systems should the disease have taken hold in the UK. We have used this experience of 2003 to inform our preparation of a framework for an integrated, escalating response to a future re–emergence of SARS according to the levels of disease activity worldwide. Recent cases confirm that SARS has not ‘gone away’. We cannot be complacent about our contingency planning.

Public Health Control Measures in Response to Global Pandemics and Drug Resistance

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (S2) ◽  
pp. 49-56
Author(s):  
Polly J. Price
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Communicable Disease ◽  
International Health ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
World Health ◽  
Legal Authority ◽  
List Type ◽  
Resistant Disease ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Health Organization

These teaching materials explore the specific powers of governments to implement control measures in response to communicable disease, in two different contexts:The first context concerns global pandemic diseases. Relevant legal authority includes international law, World Health Organization governance and the International Health Regulations, and regulatory authority of nations.The second context is centered on U.S. law and concerns control measures for drug-resistant disease, using tuberculosis as an example. In both contexts, international and domestic, the point is to understand legal authority to address public health emergencies.

scholarly journals Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Emerging and Future Challenges for Dental and Oral Medicine

2020 ◽  
Vol 99 (5) ◽  
pp. 481-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Meng ◽  
F. Hua ◽  
Z. Bian
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
World Health ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
Dental Practitioners ◽  
The World ◽  
Essential Knowledge ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

The epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), originating in Wuhan, China, has become a major public health challenge for not only China but also countries around the world. The World Health Organization announced that the outbreaks of the novel coronavirus have constituted a public health emergency of international concern. As of February 26, 2020, COVID-19 has been recognized in 34 countries, with a total of 80,239 laboratory-confirmed cases and 2,700 deaths. Infection control measures are necessary to prevent the virus from further spreading and to help control the epidemic situation. Due to the characteristics of dental settings, the risk of cross infection can be high between patients and dental practitioners. For dental practices and hospitals in areas that are (potentially) affected with COVID-19, strict and effective infection control protocols are urgently needed. This article, based on our experience and relevant guidelines and research, introduces essential knowledge about COVID-19 and nosocomial infection in dental settings and provides recommended management protocols for dental practitioners and students in (potentially) affected areas.

scholarly journals SSHAP: 6 Ways to Incorporate Social Context and Trust in Infodemic Management

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Schmidt-Sane ◽  
Tabitha Hrynick ◽  
Jennifer Cole ◽  
Santiago Ripoll ◽  
Olivia Tulloch
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Context ◽  
World Health ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Participatory Approaches ◽  
Health Response ◽  
The World ◽  
Local Solutions ◽  
Health Organization

Information epidemiology or infodemiology is the study of infodemics - defined by the World Health Organization as an overabundance of information, some accurate and some not, that occurs during a pandemic or other significant event that may impact public health. Infodemic management is the practice of infodemiology and may sit within the risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) pillar of a public health response. However, it is relevant to all aspects of preparedness and response, including the development and evaluation of interventions. Social scientists have much to contribute to infodemic management as, while it must be data and evidence driven, it must also be built on a thorough understanding of affected communities in order to develop participatory approaches, reinforce local capacity and support local solutions.

scholarly journals COVID-19, Australia: Epidemiology Report 12: Reporting week ending 23:59 AEST 19 April 2020

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
The United States ◽  
International Travel ◽  
World Health ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Public Health Action ◽  
Case Ascertainment ◽  
Overseas Travel

Confirmed cases in Australia notified up to 19 April 2020: notifications = 6,606; deaths = 69. The reduction in international travel and domestic movement, social distancing measures and public health action have likely slowed the spread of the disease. Notifications in Australia remain predominantly among people with recent overseas travel, with some locally-acquired cases being detected. Most locally-acquired cases can be linked back to a confirmed case, with a small portion unable to be epidemiologically linked. The distribution of overseas-acquired cases to locally-acquired cases varies by jurisdiction. The crude case fatality rate (CFR) in Australia remains low (1.0%) compared to the World Health Organization’s globally-reported rate (6.8%) and to other comparable high-income countries such as the United States of America (4.7%) and the United Kingdom (13.5%). The low CFR is likely reflective of high case ascertainment including detection of mild cases. High case ascertainment enables public health response and reduction of disease transmission. Internationally, cases continue to increase. The rates of increase have started to slow in several regions, although it is too soon to tell whether this trend will be sustained. Interpretation of international epidemiology should be conducted with caution as it differs from country to country depending not only on the disease dynamics, but also on differences in case detection, testing and implemented public health measures.

scholarly journals Zika Virus: A Basic Overview of an Emerging Arboviral Infection in the Western Hemisphere

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 707-712 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly G. Vest
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Virus Infection ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Western Hemisphere ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Historical Background ◽  
World Health ◽  
Zika Virus Infection ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
And Control

AbstractSince February 2015, Zika virus has spread throughout the Western Hemisphere, starting in Brazil. As of March 2016, autochthonous transmission has been reported in at least 31 countries or territories. For countries in the Americas, the spread of Zika virus, a previously unfamiliar disease, follows similar emerging infection introductions of West Nile virus and Chikungunya virus and their spread throughout the American continents and the Caribbean nations. The Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization have issued alerts and a Public Health Emergency of International Concern announcement related to the recent cluster of microcephaly cases and other neurological disorders in Brazil that are temporally associated with Zika virus, which highlights the possible adverse impact of viral infection. This article provides an overview of the Zika virus infection and presents the historical background of the virus, a description of the pathogen, the epidemiology and clinical spectrum of Zika virus infection, diagnosis and treatment approaches, and prevention and control measures. Understanding what is known about the virus and its clinical presentation will assist in prevention, detection, and response measures to reduce and control the spread of the virus throughout the Western Hemisphere. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;page 1 of 6)

scholarly journals 13.A. Workshop: Responding to COVID19 in Europe: a tale of five countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
World Health ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Outbreak Management ◽  
Eu Countries ◽  
Incidence And Mortality ◽  
The World ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Population Attitudes

Abstract Since emerging from a market in Wuhan China in December 2019, SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen causing COVID-19, has spread worldwide. On January 30th 2020 the World Health Organization declared the COVID19 outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and declared it a pandemic on March 11th 2020. With over 2.4 million cases and 180,000 deaths reported by mid-June, Europe has been the second most affected region in the world. Individual countries such as Italy and the UK have been amongst the hardest hit in the world. However, the COVID19 situation in Europe is marked by wide variations both in terms of how countries have been affected, and in terms of how they have responded. The proposed workshop will provide compare and contrast the situation and response in five countries in the European region: The UK, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Sweden, moderated by a firm and charismatic chair. This interactive workshop will enable better understanding of the disease's spread and trajectory in different EU countries. International comparisons will help to describe the growth and scale of the pandemic in the selected EU countries. The choice of countries reflects those that have reported high and low incidence and mortality, as well as represent a range in the strictness of the control measures implemented, from full lockdown to the most permissive. The session will go beyond describing those and will be an opportunity to discuss the pros and cons of these different approaches and lessons learnt around the different components of the response such as case identification, contact tracing, testing, social distancing, mask use, health communication and inequalities. We plan to have short and effective 5 min presentations followed by a longer and constructively provocative moderated discussion. Importantly, the five European case studies will offer ground to discuss the public health principles behind outbreak management preparedness and balancing public health with other imperatives such as economic ones, but also social frustration. The audience will be engaged through a Q&A session. Key messages The approach to managing the COVID19 outbreak has varied among European countries, and the optimal approach is likely to be context specific. The effect of the pandemic will be long term and public health imperatives must take population attitudes and behavior as well as economic and indirect health effects into account.

The Burden of Antimicrobial Resistant Infections in Wales: a population-level modelling analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
H Wang ◽  
P P M Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Relative Deprivation ◽  
Infection Type ◽  
Surveillance Data ◽  
Health Board ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Public Health Action ◽  
Public Health Burden ◽  
Health Action

Abstract Background Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) threatens the sustainability of an effective, global public health response to infectious disease. This study uses routine surveillance data to estimate the public health burden (PHB) of AMR infections in Wales for the period 2017-19, with further stratification by Age, Sex, local Health Board (HB) area and relative deprivation, to guide public health action. Methods Welsh AMR Surveillance data, collected as part of the European AMR Surveillance Network (EARS-Net), was collated for the period 2017-19. Adapting the methodology of the European Centres for Disease Control Burden of Communicable Diseases in Europe (BCoDE), we modelled the PHB of five types of antibiotic-resistant infection (invasive and non-invasive), and 7 pathogens which associated with AMR, using the Burden of Healthcare-Acquire Infection (BHAI) R package. Postcodes were used to assign patients' resident health board, as well as their relative socio-economic deprivation, using the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD). Results Preliminary results (median estimation with 95% confidence interval (CI)) were calculated for: number of infections with AMRnumber of deaths attributable to AMRnumber of DALYs attributable to AMR Estimates were stratified by age; sex; HB; relative deprivation; and pathogen and infection type. Conclusions This is the first study of its kind to study the relationship between AMR incidence and relative deprivation. It offers a clear picture of the epidemiology of AMR within Wales to support public health action. Key messages Infections from AMR bacteria represent a major PHB in Wales, and the modelling PHB of AMR by socioeconomic group and local area can inform effective public health action. The results of this study are valuable for guiding public health action to address AMR at the national and international level.

scholarly journals Revealing COVID-19 Transmission by SARS-CoV-2 Genome Sequencing and Agent Based Modelling

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca J Rockett ◽  
Alicia Arnott ◽  
Connie Lam ◽  
Rosemarie Sadsad ◽  
Verlaine Timms ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
New South ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Public Health Action ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Health Action ◽  
Community Transmission

ABSTRACTCommunity transmission of the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is a major public health concern that remains difficult to assess. We present a genomic survey of SARS-CoV-2 from a during the first 10 weeks of COVID-19 activity in New South Wales, Australia. Transmission events were monitored prospectively during the critical period of implementation of national control measures. SARS-CoV-2 genomes were sequenced from 209 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection between January and March 2020. Only a quarter of cases appeared to be locally acquired and genomic-based estimates of local transmission rates were concordant with predictions from a computational agent-based model. This convergent assessment indicates that genome sequencing provides key information to inform public health action and has improved our understanding of the COVID-19 evolution from outbreak to epidemic.

scholarly journals Adapting for the COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador, a characterization of hospital strategies and patients

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Garzon-Chavez ◽  
Daniel Romero-Alvarez ◽  
Marco Bonifaz ◽  
Juan Gaviria ◽  
Daniel Mero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Laboratory Data ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
World Health ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
First Case ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Health Demand ◽  
Health Organization

Abstract The World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) a global pandemic on March 11th. In Ecuador, the first case of COVID-19 was recorded on February 29th. Despite efforts to control its spread, SARS-CoV-2 overrun the Ecuadorian public health system which became one of the most affected in Latin America with 22,719 cases reported up to April, 24th. Public health control measures, including social distancing and lockdowns, were implemented at different times in the biggest cities of the country: Guayaquil and Quito. The Hospital General del Sur de Quito (HGSQ) had to transition from a general to a specific COVID-19 health center in a short period of time to fulfill the health demand from patients with respiratory afflictions. Here, we summarized the implementations applied in the HGSQ to become a COVID-19 exclusive hospital, including the rearrangement of hospital rooms and a triage strategy based on a severity score calculated through an artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted chest computed tomography (CT). Moreover, we present clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory data from 75 laboratory tested COVID-19 patients, which represent the first outbreak of Quito city.

scholarly journals Directrices sobre la respuesta de salud pública a la farmacorresistencia del VIH previa al tratamiento. Julio 2017

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Drug Resistance ◽  
World Health Organization ◽  
World Health ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Response ◽  
Las Mujeres ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
América Del Sur

En la presente publicación se formulan orientaciones sobre la respuesta de salud pública a la farmacorresistencia del VIH (FRVIH) a inhibidores no nucleosídicos de la retrotranscriptasa (INNRT), previa al tratamiento, en personas con exposición previa a los fármacos antirretrovirales (ARV) o sin antecedente de esta exposición que inician o reinician un tratamiento antirretroviral (TAR) de primera línea. El documento aporta además el consenso alcanzado sobre la prevalencia o el umbral de FRVIH a INNRT previa al tratamiento a partir de los cuales se deben tomar medidas específicas de salud pública. La presente publicación constituye un suplemento al capítulo 4 de las Directrices unificadas sobre el uso de los antirretrovirales para el tratamiento y la prevención de la infección por el VIH (directrices unificadas de la OMS del 2016 sobre el uso de los ARV)… En la presente revisión se observó además que la FRVIH a INNRT previa al tratamiento era mucho más frecuente en las personas que iniciaban TAR de primera línea y que tenían un antecedente de exposición a fármacos ARV (como las mujeres expuestas durante la PTMI y las personas que reanudaban el TAR después de un período de interrupción) en comparación con las personas que iniciaban el TAR y que nunca habían estado expuestas a los ARV, en todas las regiones de la OMS. En las siete encuestas representativas a escala nacional sobre la FRVIH previa al tratamiento en África, América del Sur y Asia en las que se daba seguimiento a la resistencia en estos dos grupos se obtuvieron resultados similares. En todas las encuestas nacionales de la OMS sobre la FRVIH previa al tratamiento, la resistencia a INNRT fue notablemente mayor en las personas que iniciaban el TAR y que habían tenido una exposición previa al TAR (22%), que en las personas que nunca habían recibido fármacos ARV (8%) (p <0,0001)… Versión oficial en español de la obra original en inglés: Guidelines on the public health response to pretreatment HIV drug resistance: July 2017. © World Health Organization 2017. ISBN: 978-92-4-155005-5.

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