Summary of global surveillance data of infectious diseases in March 2021

In March 2021, a total of 58 infectious diseases were reported globally, affecting 225 countries and regions. Except for influenza, the top five infectious diseases affecting greatest number of countries and regions were Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19)(225), dengue fever (29), measles (23), poliomyelitis (12) and salmonellosis (8). The top five infectious diseases with highest case fatality rates were Ebola virus disease (50.0%), Middle East respiratory syndrome (34.4%), plague (24.3%), Lassa fever (21.3%) and diphtheria (9.7%). The top five infectious diseases with greatest number of deaths were COVID-19, measles, cholera, Lassa fever and dengue fever. The prevalent infectious diseases in Asia were COVID-19 and dengue fever, the prevalent infectious diseases in Africa were COVID-19, Ebola virus disease, plague, cholera, yellow fever, Lassa fever and poliomyelitis, the prevalent infectious diseases in America were COVID-19 and dengue fever, the prevalent infectious disease in Europe was COVID-19.