Risk assessment of public health emergencies concerned in the mainland of China, February 2021

  Objective  To assess the risk of public health emergencies, both the indigenous ones and the imported ones, which might occur in the mainland of China in February, 2021.

  Methods  An internet based expert counsel was conducted to analyze the incidence data of public health emergencies reported both at home and abroad and the surveillance data of priority communicable diseases in China reported through different channels, and the experts in provincial centers for disease control and prevention attended this conference through video terminal.

  Results  It is predicted the incidence of public health emergencies would decrease in February compared with that in January, 2021 and would be dramatically lower compared with the same period in 2020. The incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outside China has shown decline trend, but the disease will continue to spread at a very high level. China still face risks of both ongoing local transmission and the imported cases from other countries. Given the sensitive surveillance and rapid response capacity across the country and strengthened prevention and control measures taken before and after the Spring Festival according the national strategy, the possibility of new COVID-19 epidemic in China is very low. The incidence of non-occupational carbon monoxide poisoning would be still high in February, however, the reported event and case numbers of carbon monoxide poisoning might decrease compared with January.

  Conclusion  It is necessary to pay special attention to COVID-19 and pay general attention to non-occupational carbon monoxide poisoning.