Risk assessment of public health emergency and concerned infectious diseases in China, September 2013

Objective Assess the risk of public health emergency and concerned infectious diseases in China, September 2013. Methods Semi-structured interviews and discussions among subject matter experts based on surveillance data and public institute bulletins, et al. Results According to surveillance data, the occurrence of public health emergency in September will be relatively high among the whole year. The number of the reported national public health emergency for September may see an upward trend compared with August. Now it is the high risk season for enteric infectious diseases and food poisoning. The risk of both imported dengue patients and endemic dengue outbreaks exist. New cases of Human infection with influenza A(H7N9) virus may occur. Though World Health Organization recognized Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) as not a Public Health Emergency of International Concern yet, the sustained new cases reported from Middle East still reminded alert for public health society. With the start of the new school year, the risk of infectious disease outbreaks including influenza, mumps, HFMD, chickenpox and food poisoning events in schools and kindergartens will increase. As the two vacations-Mid Autumn Festival and National Day approach, health departments should provide travel health advice to the public in advance, and strengthen infectious disease surveillance, health supervision and emergency duty work during the vacations. Flood may occur in some places, which might cause secondary public health risk. Conclusion It is expected that the national public health emergencies and epidemic situation of infectious diseases in September 2013 would be similar as the September, namely at a higher level. We need to strengthen surveillance and preparedness for MERS, dengue, and food poisoning.