Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health Reported: 10th October 2020 Oct 10 Biweekly Infectious Disease Highlights – 2nd – 9th October 2020 Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research (CIDER) Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health Reported: 10th October 2020 Contents Page Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... 2 i. Human Diseases ................................................................................................................ 3 Disease: Alaskapox ............................................................................................................................ 3 Disease: Brucellosis ........................................................................................................................... 3 Disease: Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) .......................................................................... 4 Disease: Chikungunya ......................................................................................................................... 4 Disease: Dengue ................................................................................................................................. 5 Disease: Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) ................................................................................... 5 Disease: H9N2 .................................................................................................................................... 6 Disease: Jamestown Canyon Virus ................................................................................................... 6 Disease: Monkeypox .......................................................................................................................... 7 Disease: Polio ..................................................................................................................................... 7 Disease: Rift Valley Fever ................................................................................................................. 8 Disease: West Nile Virus ................................................................................................................... 8 Disease: Undiagnosed Hemorrhagic Fever ..................................................................................... 9 ii. Animal disease-related outbreaks ....................................................................................... 10 Disease: African Swine Fever (ASF) ............................................................................................... 10 Disease: Avian Influenza ................................................................................................................. 10 iii. Methods ........................................................................................................................... 0 1 | P a g e Centre for infectious di sease epidemiology and research ` Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health Reported: 10th October 2020 Executive Summary COVID-19, Global The world continues to battle the rampage of COVID-19 as global case count nears the 40 million mark and death toll exceeds 1,000,000. USA, India and Brazil continue to have the most number of cases reported daily, with India overtaking Brazil as the country with the second most number of cases in the world. The World Health Organisation (WHO), however, has warned that premature lifting of the restrictions could lead to a potential resurgence of the COVID-19. Daily updates on COVID-19 are available on CIDER’s blog at https://blog.nus.edu.sg/nuscider/. Polio, As of Aug. 25, the World Health Organization African Region has been certified free of the wild poliovirus. As of today, there are only two countries remaining that are still polio-endemic: Afghanistan and Pakistan. The polio eradication efforts in Pakistan and Afghanistan were temporarily paused earlier this year to avoid spreading COVID-19 in house-to-house vaccination campaigns, and there are fears of a resurgence in these countries. 2 | P a g e Centre for infectious di sease epidemiology and research ` th Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health Reported: 10 October 2020 i. Human Diseases Disease: Alaskapox Country/Province: USA/ Alaska (Fairbanks area) Cases/Fatality: 1/0 Epidemiological Info: a. In August 2020, a woman who lived in the Fairbanks area had presented with a skin lesion, and developed shoulder pain which persisted for about 2 weeks. b. This is only the second known case of Alaskapox virus infection, with the first case reported in July 2015. c. Health authorities hypothesized that Alaskapox virus is most likely enzootic in one or more species of mammals in Interior Alaska and that humans are only occasionally infected. Sources: Alaskan Department of Health and Social Services. Second Case of Novel Orthopoxvirus Infection in a Fairbanks- area Resident . Reported on 30 September 2020. Available at: http://www.epi.alaska.gov/bulletins/docs/b2020_11.pdf Disease: Brucellosis Country/Province: China/Lanzhou Cases/Fatality: 3,245/Unknown Epidemiological Info: a. As of 16 September , the Lanzhou Health Commission has confirmed that 3,245 patients have been infected with brucellosis – this is the first official tally about the outbreak of the highly contagious disease, which occurred in November 2019. b. This came a day after a Caixin report exposed how the local government's lack of both disclosure and formal diagnosis had caused thousands of patients to miss the window for receiving the most effective treatment for the disease. c. The leak was caused by the Lanzhou plant using expired sanitisers while producing brucella vaccines between 24 July and 20 August This had resulted in the bacteria entering the factory's exhaust systems and infecting staff members and students at the nearby Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute. Sources: The Straits Times. North-west China's Lanzhou city finally discloses extent of last year's brucellosis outbreak. Reported on 17 September 2020. Available at: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/north-west-chinas-lanzhou- city-finally-discloses-extent-of-last-years-brucellosis 3 | P a g e Centre for infectious di sease epidemiology and research ` Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health Reported: 10th October 2020 Disease: Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) Country/Province: India/Gujarat Cases/Fatality: 4/1 Epidemiological Info: a. As of 24 September, four cases of Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) were reported from the state this year, even as the state health department claimed there had been “no outbreak of CCHF this year. b. Of the four, three were reported from Botad, with 1 fatality reported. c. The cases reported this year are, far less as compared to 2019 with 35 CCHF cases and 17 deaths. d. Authorities in Palghar, a district in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, have issued an alert for the deadly Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), after infections of this disease were found in neighbouring Gujarat. Source: Indian Express. 4 cases of Congo fever reported in Gujarat, 1 dead. Reported on 24 September 2020. Available at https://indianexpress.com/article/india/4-cases-of-congo-fever-reported-in-state-1-dead-6608319/ First Post. Maharashtra's Palghar district issues alert over Congo fever after virus found in some parts of Gujarat, Reported on 29 September 2020. Available at: https://www.firstpost.com/india/maharashtras-palghar-district-issues-alert-over-congo-fever-after-virus-found-in-some- parts-of-gujarat-8862941.html Disease: Chikungunya Country/Province: Cambodia Cases/Fatality: 6000/0 Epidemiological Info: a. As of 28 September, the Cambodian Health Ministry has reported that as many as 6,000 people have been infected with the chikungunya virus in the previous three months. b. 21 provinces have been affected across the country, with a reported 80 percent of the cases being concentrated in Takeo, Siem Reap, and Preah Vihear. c. There have been no confirmed deaths associated with the virus and at least 250 infected patients remain in hospitals. d. The high incidence has been attributed to the rainy weather. Source: VOD. Chikungunya Spreads to 21 Provinces, Almost 6,000 Suspected Infected. Reported on 28 September 2020. Available at https://vodenglish.news/chikungunya-spreads-to-21-provinces-almost-6000-suspected-infected/ 4 | P a g e Centre for infectious di sease epidemiology and research ` Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health Reported: 10th October 2020 Disease: Dengue Country/Province: Taiwan Cases/Fatality: 11/0 Epidemiological Info: a. As of 27 September, Taiwan health officials has reported 11 additional domestic cases of dengue fever, bringing the total to 32 this year. b. This comprised of 10 confirmed cases of dengue fever in New Taipei City, 7 males and 3 females, aged in their 50s to 80s, living in the Three Gorges and Sanxia District. Another case came from Bade District of Taoyuan City. c. Nevertheless, this is less than the 100 locally transmitted cases reported around the same period last year. d. Of the total cases reported this year, 17 cases were from Taoyuan City (15 in Taoyuan District, 1 in Guishan District and 1 in Bade District),15 from New Taipei City (14 in Three Gorges District, 1 in Zhonghe District) and 59 cases were imported from abroad. Source: Outbreak News Today Taiwan local dengue cases rise to 32, Recent cases reported in New Taipei City. Reported on 27 September 2020. Available at: http://outbreaknewstoday.com/taiwan-local-dengue-cases-rise-to-32-recent-cases-