Risk assessment of public health emergencies concerned in the mainland of China, September 2018

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 September 2018.

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 Generally speaking, it is predicted that the incidence of communicable diseases and public health emergencies would be higher in September than in August in 2018. The high incidence season of dengue fever would come, and the risk of its local transmission in southern provinces and flood-stricken areas would increase. It is still the high incidence season of food poisoning, and the risk in students and during the vacations of Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day would increase. Japanese encephalitis might still occur. The risks of communicable disease outbreaks such as hand, foot and mouth disease, varicella, mumps and influenza occurred in schools would increase. Disaster affected communities are at high risks of waterborne, foodborne and vector-borne diseases as well as other contagious communicable diseases. The risk of importation of Ebola virus disease from the Democratic Republic of Congo to the mainland of China is estimated to be low.

Conclusion Close attention should be paid to dengue fever and food poisoning, and general attention should be paid to Japanese encephalitis, the public health risk caused by nature disaster such as flood, and Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo.