Risk assessment of public health emergencies concerned in the mainland of China, August 2022

  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 August 2022.

  Methods  An 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 provincial centers for disease control and prevention attended this video conference.

  Results  Overall, the incidence of public health emergencies in August is predicted to be the same as in July, with infectious disease events accounting for the largest number. Considering imported BA.5 cases and secondary outbreaks in recent days, there is still risk of local cluster cases and spillover cases in the following month, which shows a difficult and complex situation for disease prevention and control. Local governments should effectively coordinate disease prevention and control with economic and social development in accordance with central government requirements. It is also expected that risk of cholera infection will increase in August, which might cause sporadic and local cluster cholera cases. The global transmission risk of monkeypox is moderate. Attention should be paid to risk of importing monkeypox case and local spreads it causes. Surveillance information and research progress in severe acute hepatitis of unknown aetiology in children of multi-countries needs to be tracked.

  Conclusion  Special attention should be paid to COVID-19. General attentions should be paid to cholera events and monkeypox.