Risk assessment of public health emergencies concerned in the mainland of China, August 2019

ObjectiveTo assess the risks of public health emergencies, both the indigenous ones and imported ones, which might occur in the mainland of China in August 2019.

MethodsAn internet based expert counsel was conducted to analyze the surveillance data of public health emergencies and priority communicable diseases in China reported through different channels, and the experts in all the provincial centers for disease control and prevention attended this meeting through video terminal.

ResultsIt is predicted that the number of public health emergencies reported in August would be similar to that in July, which would be at a low level of whole year. The local transmissions of dengue fever in Guangdong, Yunnan and other provinces would continue, and some of these transmissions might develop into larger scale outbreaks. Attention should be paid to the prevention and control of nosocomial outbreak of Echovirus 11 in neonates, especially in premature infants. The incidences of food poisoning and heatstroke would be at the peaks of the year. The risks of waterborne, foodborne and vector-borne communicable diseases might increase after flood disasters predicted by meteorological department. The risk of bee stings will increase from August in some provinces. The epidemic of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will continue, but the risk of the spread to China is low.

ConclusionIn August 2019, there is no special concern about risk of public health emergencies in the mainland of China. Close attention should be paid to the risk of local transmission of dengue fever, and general attention should be paid to the public health risks of Echovirus infection cluster, food poisoning, heat stroke, flood related illness, bee stings and EVD in DRC.