PHWR Public Health Weekly Report

Vol.14 No.17, April 22, 2021 Article TypeEpidemiology and SurveillanceNoncommunicable Disease Statistics

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2021-04-22

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  2020 World Malaria Report

  Shin Hyun-Il, Lee Hee-Il

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(17): 997-1012

  

  

  Abstract

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  Among the five species of human malaria, Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) and Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) are important and critical in public health. P. falciparum is most prevalent in the African continent and a major cause of deaths by malaria whereas P. vivax has a wider geographical distribution.
  By 2019, the the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that the number of infected cases and deaths of malaria increased to 229 million and 409,000, respectively. Regionally, It was estimated that most cases in 2019 occurred in the African Region (94%), followed by the South-East Asian Region (3%) and the Eastern Mediterranean Region (2.1%). Similarly, it was estimated that most deaths (94%) in 2019 were reported in the African Region. Furthermore it was reported that children under the age of 5 accounted for 67% of the malaria deaths. Many countries are moving forward to elimination. By way of example, the number of countries with less than 10,000 malaria cases increased from 26 in 2000 to 46 in 2019.
  In 2020, the WHO worked with serveral partners to complete malaria prevention campaigns and minimize the suspension of diagnosis and treatment in order to prevent the increase of patients and deaths caused by malaria in countries with malaria even in the face of COVID-19.
  The Division of Vectors and Parasitic Diseases in Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) has been continuously cooperating with international and national agencies to control or eliminate malaria.

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2021-04-22

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  Monitoring of Malaria Vector Mosquitoes and Plasmodium vivax Infection in the Republic of Korea, 2020

  Kim Hyunah, Shin Hyun-Il. Lee Hee Il

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(17): 1013-1022

  

  

  Abstract

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  There are five human malaria parasites. Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax), one of the less virulent parasites, is a protozoal parasite and a human pathogen. P. vivax is indigenous malaria in the Republic of Korea (ROK). To investigate and monitor the density and protozoa infection rate of malaria vectors (Anopheles spp.), we operated black light traps at 51 sites in one metropolitan city(ie., Inchenon) and two provinces (Gyeonggi Province and Gangwon Province) from April to October 2020. Findings indicated tant, in 2020, the trap index (TI, No. of mosquitoes/trap/days) of malaria vector mosquitoes was 61, down 73.0% from the average year (2015-2019) and down 33.7% from 2019. Much like in 2019, in 2020, due to continuous precipitation in July and August, the highest density of mosquitoes was only TI (trap index) 6 in 30 weeks. The P. vivax infection of malaria vectors was first detected at 25 weeks, and 62 positive pools (49 pools in civilian areas, 13 pools in military districts) were detected after 38 weeks. The minimum infection rate for 51 sites was 4.3, with 3.7 infections in civilian areas and 9.8 in military areas, where the detection rate of P. vivax infected mosquitoes was higher than the number of collecting vectors. P. vivax infected mosquitoes were detected near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in 2019, whereas in 2020, they were also collected in areas a little further from the DMZ. This study concluded that infected mosquitoes migrated southward. Therefore, continuous monitoring and intensive control of anopheles mosquitoes is necessary to prevent the spread of malaria patients.

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2021-04-22

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  Characteristics of reported malaria cases, 2020

  Kan Hyesu, Kwon Jeongran, Park Sunyoung, Kim Hyeongyu, Park Sookkyung

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(17): 1023-1035

  

  

  Abstract

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  Malaria is considered one of the most important acute febrile diseases worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO)’s Global Technology Strategy for Malaria(2016-2030) has been developed with the aim of helping countries to reduce the incidence and mortality of malaria worldwide by more than 90% by 2030. However, many agree that the shift in focus to identify and treat COVID-19 impacted ongoing efforts to control other infectious diseases, such as malaria. In line with the WHO’s global efforts to eliminate malaria, Korea established and promoted a Malaria Re-Elimination 5-Year Plan (2019-2023) and implemented various strategies such as patient monitoring, early diagnosis and treatment, and vector management.
  In 2020, the number of malaria patients in Korea was 385; down 31.1% from 2019 when there were 559 patients. The number of indigenous cases was 356 (92.5%) and 340 (95.5%) of them occurred from May until October. In addition, the number of imported cases was 29 (7.5%) which marked a 60.8% year-on-year reduction, which, this report hypothesized, was most likely due to the decrease in overseas travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  By gender and age, at 315 male cases (81.8%), the number of male that had malaria was 4.5 times higher than the number of female, and the most frequent occurrence was among individuals in their 20s (117, 30.4%). By indigenous cases, the infected areas were Gyeonggi Province 64.6% (230), Incheon 17.4% (62) and Gangwon Province 8.4% (30). The most common symptoms were fever (96.1%), followed by chills (77.4%), sweats (50.9%), and headaches (46.2%). Of them, 84 cases were soldiers serving or served near the demilitarized zone(DMZ), while 301 cases were civilians. The civilian cases were higher than those of military.
  In Korea, malaria outbreaks resumed in 1993, and there were about 4,000 patients per year until 2000. The incidence of patients decreased to around 500 in recent 5 years due to continuous efforts to reduce malaria. In 2020, the lowest incidence was reported since the malaria outbreaks resumed in 1993. This may be related to the COVID-19 outbreak situation which reduced overseas travel and the policy direction of COVID-19, such as social distancing. This report recommended continuous organic cooperation and rapid response measures of the KDCA, local governments, and front-line medical institutions.

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2021-04-22

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  Results of the 2020-2021 Winter Cold-Related Illness Surveillance

  Lee Sukyung, Kim Sunmi, Kim Hyoeun, Kwon Seunghyun, Yoo Hyosoon

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(17): 1036-1050

  

  

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  In 2013, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) launched a cold-related illness (CRI) surveillance system. Every winter (December-February), a nationwide network of approximately 500 hospital emergency rooms (ERs) participates in the system. The KDCA operates the CRI surveillance system to monitor hypothermia, frostbite, trench foot or immersion foot, and chilblain. According to the hospital reports, 433 people developed CRIs and 7 deaths were attributed to CRI in the 2020-2021 winter season. The average lowest temperature in the 2020-2021 season was –3.9℃, lower than that of the 2019-2020 season (-1.4℃) which can be attributed to the long-term cold that occurred for about 15 days at the end of 2020 and the start of 2021. The number of CRIs was highest in January (54.5%), and deaths attributed to CRI were highest in February (42.9%). Findings indicated that the percentage of CRI occurrences was high among males (70.2%); high among people in their 80s (21.0%); high among the unemployed (33.9%); and high among drinkers (23.6%). Findings indicated that CRIs occurred mainly between 6 am and 12 pm (30.9%); and the main cause of CRI was hypothermia (67.4%). In terms of location, CRI occurrence was highest at outdoor roadside locations (26.8%) followed by outside the home (nearby residence) (17.8%) and inside the home (13.6%).

• Noncommunicable Disease Statistics 2021-04-22

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  Trends in rate of physical activity, 2008-2019

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(17): 1051-1054

  

  

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