Summary of global surveillance data of infectious diseases in October 2023

In October 2023, a total of 72 infectious diseases were reported globally, affecting 236 countries and regions. Except for influenza, the top five infectious diseases affecting greatest number of countries and regions were COVID-19 (236), mpox (115), dengue fever (38), measles (28) and malaria (15). The top five infectious diseases with highest case fatality rates were human infection with avian influenza A (H5N1) (52.3%), Lassa fever (17.2%), diphtheria (10.8%), Crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever (9.2%) and West Nile disease (7.6%). The top five infectious diseases with greatest number of deaths were COVID-19, dengue fever, measles, cholera and diphtheria. The prevalent infectious diseases in Asia were COVID-19, cholera, mpox, Crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever and dengue fever, the prevalent infectious diseases in Africa were COVID-19, cholera, mpox, Lassa fever, diphtheria, malaria, poliomyelitis and measles, the prevalent infectious diseases in America were COVID-19, cholera, mpox and dengue fever, the prevalent infectious disease in Europe was West Nile disease.