Abstract:
In May 2024, a total of 72 infectious diseases were reported globally, affecting 236 countries and regions. Except for influenza, the top five infectious diseases affecting greatest number of countries and regions were coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (236), mpox (117), dengue fever (33), measles (28) and cholera (21). The top five infectious diseases with highest case fatality rates were human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) (52.00%), Middle East respiratory syndrome (36.00%), Lassa fever (18.10%), meningitis (7.40%) and mpox (5.00%). The top five infectious diseases with greatest number of deaths were COVID-19, dengue fever, measles, cholera and mpox. The prevalent infectious diseases in Asia were COVID-19, cholera, dengue fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever and measles, the prevalent infectious diseases in Africa were COVID-19, cholera, yellow fever, Lassa fever, mpox, measles, meningitis and poliomyelitis, the prevalent infectious diseases in America were COVID-19, dengue fever, chikungunya fever and mpox, the prevalent infectious disease in Europe were COVID-19, mpox, measles and respiratory syncytial virus infection.