1.Preparation for mass gathering events from the perspective of a non-host country: the experience of Japan during the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games
Kazuaki Jindai ; Takuya Yamagishi ; Munehisa Fukusumi ; Shingo Nishiki ; Yusuke Kobayashi ; Yusuke Matsui ; Tamano Matsui ; Kazunori Oishi
Western Pacific Surveillance and Response 2019;10(1):39-42
The World Health Organization recommends that countries or organizations that host mass gatherings plan ahead and prepare for possible public health events to ensure a safe environment for local residents, participants and travellers.1 Public health events during mass gatherings can also affect non-host countries. There are numerous reports of the spread of infectious diseases by travellers returning from mass gatherings,2 which can potentially pose the risk of an outbreak of new infectious diseases to travellers’ home countries. With more frequent travel across borders, it is prudent that non-host countries prepare for mass gathering events.
2.Integration of publicly available case-based data for real-time coronavirus disease 2019 risk assessment, Japan
Kota Ninomiya ; Mariko Kanamori ; Naomi Ikeda ; Kazuaki Jindai ; Yura K Ko ; Kanako Otani ; Yuki Furuse ; Hiroki Akaba ; Reiko Miyahara ; Mayuko Saito ; Motoi Suzuki ; Hitoshi Oshitani
Western Pacific Surveillance and Response 2022;13(1):43-48
In response to the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Japan, a national COVID-19 cluster taskforce (comprising governmental and nongovernmental experts) was established to support the country’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in conducting daily risk assessment. The assessment was carried out using established infectious disease surveillance systems; however, in the initial stages of the pandemic these were not sufficient for real-time risk assessment owing to limited accessibility, delay in data entry and inadequate case information. Also, local governments were publishing anonymized data on confirmed COVID-19 cases on their official websites as daily press releases. We developed a unique database for nationwide real-time risk assessment that included these case lists from local government websites and integrated all case data into a standardized format. The database was updated daily and checked systematically to ensure comprehensiveness and quality. Between 15 January 2020 and 15 June 2021, 776 459 cases were logged in the database, allowing for analysis of real-time risk from the pandemic. This semi-automated database was used in daily risk assessments, and to evaluate and update control measures to prevent community transmission of COVID-19 in Japan. The data were reported almost every week to the Japanese Government Advisory Panel on COVID-19 for public health responses.
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