The incidence and spread of emerging infectious diseases are highly uncertain. This paper summarizes the uncertainty and complexity of emerging infectious disease, and suggests that for the response to the varied emerging infectious diseases in the future, it is still necessary for human to take the strategy of constantly strengthening the prevention and control capability and improving various preparedness protocols. For the better response to emerging infectious diseases and protection of people's health and life, the following measures can be taken, paying more attention to the layout of the infectious disease surveillance network, establishing and maintaining the laboratory surveillance network of infectious diseases, establishing and improving a "wartime-peacetime" transition mechanism or system of medical treatment and response, developing and improving the prevention and control plan for emerging infectious diseases, strengthening the training and rehearsal of emerging infectious disease treatment and response, establishing and improving the system for the grading, classification and stockpile of medical supplies for public health emergency response and establishing and maintaining the system of early warning of emerging infectious diseases and technical platform regulations.
Communicable Diseases/epidemiology* ; Communicable Diseases, Emerging/prevention & control* ; Disease Outbreaks/prevention & control* ; Humans ; Public Health ; Uncertainty

Adult ; China ; Communicable Disease Control ; Communicable Diseases, Emerging ; prevention & control ; Coronavirus Infections ; Humans ; Male

Communicable Diseases, Emerging ; prevention & control ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; prevention & control ; Ventilators, Mechanical

The world has paid a heavy price for the pandemic of the emerging respiratory communicable disease, so more concern about communicable disease surveillance and early warning has been aroused. This paper briefly reviews the establishment of the surveillance and early warning system of respiratory communicable diseases in China, discusses its future development and introduces the novel surveillance methods and early warning models for the purpose of establishment of a multi-channel surveillance and multi-dimensional early warning system of communicable diseases in the future and the improvement of the prevention and control of emerging respiratory communicable diseases in China.
Humans ; Population Surveillance/methods* ; Communicable Diseases/epidemiology* ; Communicable Diseases, Emerging/prevention & control* ; China/epidemiology* ; Pandemics ; Disease Outbreaks/prevention & control*

OBJECTIVES: The field epidemiologist system of South Korea, which employs public health doctors who are relatively more readily available, was created in 1999 to ensure a ready supply of experts for epidemiological investigations and enable an effective response for new and reemerging infectious diseases. However, the 2015 outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome revealed limitations in the existing systems of management of field epidemiologists and communicable diseases.METHODS: The present study aims to evaluate data on current states, administrative reports, and other literature on the field epidemiologist system that has been in place in South Korea for 16 years since 1999 and to suggest appropriate future improvements in this system.RESULTS: By suggesting methods to evaluate the field epidemiologist system and training programs and by suggesting ways for the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct evaluations on its own, the present study provides supporting evidence for improvement of systems for training of experts in epidemiological investigations. Moreover, based on the findings, this study also suggests methods to systematically train experts in communicable diseases management and a sustainable system to establish the basis of and develop strategies for a systematic and phased management of field epidemiologist training programs.CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests the possibility of establishing dedicated training facilities, revising the guidelines on training and improvement of the competency of public health experts, while not limiting the scope of application to communicable diseases.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Communicable Diseases ; Communicable Diseases, Emerging ; Coronavirus Infections ; Education ; Epidemiology ; Korea ; Public Health

OBJECTIVES: The field epidemiologist system of South Korea, which employs public health doctors who are relatively more readily available, was created in 1999 to ensure a ready supply of experts for epidemiological investigations and enable an effective response for new and reemerging infectious diseases. However, the 2015 outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome revealed limitations in the existing systems of management of field epidemiologists and communicable diseases. METHODS: The present study aims to evaluate data on current states, administrative reports, and other literature on the field epidemiologist system that has been in place in South Korea for 16 years since 1999 and to suggest appropriate future improvements in this system. RESULTS: By suggesting methods to evaluate the field epidemiologist system and training programs and by suggesting ways for the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct evaluations on its own, the present study provides supporting evidence for improvement of systems for training of experts in epidemiological investigations. Moreover, based on the findings, this study also suggests methods to systematically train experts in communicable diseases management and a sustainable system to establish the basis of and develop strategies for a systematic and phased management of field epidemiologist training programs. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests the possibility of establishing dedicated training facilities, revising the guidelines on training and improvement of the competency of public health experts, while not limiting the scope of application to communicable diseases.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Communicable Diseases ; Communicable Diseases, Emerging ; Coronavirus Infections ; Education* ; Epidemiology* ; Korea* ; Public Health

Nipah virus disease (NVD) is a newly emerged zoonosis with a case fatality rate of 40%-75%. NVD is a severe threat to human health and the development of livestock farming. NVD has become one of the emerging infectious diseases with great concern globally during more than 20 years. Nipah virus (NiV) is a pathogen for NVD, the natural host of which is Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family. The clinical spectrum of NiV infection is broad, including asymptomatic infection, acute respiratory infection, fatal encephalitis, and even death. Since NiV was first identified in Malaysia in 1999, it has been prevalent mainly in Southeast Asia and South Asia. NiV is primarily transmitted to humans through bat-pig-human, contaminated food. Currently, there are no specific therapeutic drugs and vaccines for NVD. Although there are no cases of NVD reported in China, which has close personnel and trade exchanges with major NVD-endemic countries, and NiV antibody has also been detected in relevant bats. There is a potential risk of importing NVD and domestic outbreaks in the future in this country. This paper provides a systematic review of the research progress in the prevention and control of NVD etiology, epidemiology, clinical manifestations and laboratory diagnosis to help relevant staff to understand NVD more comprehensively and systematically.
Animals ; Chiroptera ; Communicable Diseases, Emerging/prevention & control* ; Disease Outbreaks ; Henipavirus Infections/prevention & control* ; Nipah Virus ; Swine ; Zoonoses/prevention & control*

The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) outbreak in South Korea in 2015 has drawn public attention regarding the legal regulation of infectious disease control in Korea. This paper discusses the interpretive and legislative concerns regarding the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act, its ordinance and enforcement regulations, as well as public statements from the relevant administrative agency. Future improvements are also proposed.
Communicable Diseases, Emerging/epidemiology/*prevention & control ; Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology/*prevention & control ; Disease Outbreaks ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Quarantine/*legislation & jurisprudence ; Republic of Korea

Communicable Diseases, Emerging/epidemiology/prevention & control ; Developing Countries ; Disease Outbreaks/prevention & control ; Gastrointestinal Diseases/*epidemiology/prevention & control ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Papua New Guinea/epidemiology ; *Public Health ; Sanitation ; Water Supply

It is widely believed that effective communication is critical for the containment of the spread of emerging infectious diseases. Various media outlets and studies have pointed out communication failure as one of the key components that contributed to the wide and rapid spread of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in South Korea. To address these concerns, we first outline the definitions of risk and crisis communication and why they are important. We then illustrate communication models and guidelines utilized in three organizations (World Health Organization, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and UK Public Health England) for health or disaster control. By analyzing the current guidelines for infectious diseases in South Korea and they were actually applied during the Middle East respiratory syndrome situation, we will assess what went wrong and what went right. Finally, we will suggest various measures that will help to ensure similar tragedies do not happen again.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Communicable Diseases ; Communicable Diseases, Emerging ; Containment of Biohazards ; Coronavirus ; Coronavirus Infections ; Disasters ; Korea ; Middle East ; Public Health*