Epidemiological characteristics of public health emergencies caused by infectious diseases in Yunnan, 2015−2022

  Objective  To understand epidemiological characteristics of public health emergencies caused by infectious diseases in Yunnan province and provide reference for the prevention and control of infectious diseases.

  Methods  The incidence data of public health emergencies caused by infections diseases in Yunnan from 2015 to 2022 were obtained from China Disease Prevention and Control Information System for a descriptive epidemiological analysis. Exponential model was used to predict the incidence of public health emergencies in Yunnan.

  Results  From 2015 to 2022, a total of 1164 public health emergencies caused by infectious diseases were reported in Yunnan, including 1 Ⅲ-level emergency (0.086%), 861 Ⅳ-level emergencies (73.97%) and 302 non graded emergencies (25.95%). The main infection route was respiratory transmission, followed by intestinal transmission. The annual incidence peak was during October-December, and the sub peak was during May-June. The main places where public health emergencies occurred were schools and child care settings, and the main diseases were chickenpox and hand foot and mouth disease. It is predicted that 229 and 256 public health emergencies would occur in the following two years respectively.

  Conclusion  In Yunnan, schools and child care settings are the key places for the prevention and control of public health emergencies caused by infectious diseases. It is necessary to strengthen the surveillance and early warning of respiratory and intestinal infectious disease epidemics in schools and child care settings for the timely detection, reporting, response and control of disease epidemics. At the same time, targeted vaccination and health education should be carried out during the seasons when infectious diseases usually occur.