PHWR Public Health Weekly Report

Vol.17 No.17, May 02, 2024 Article TypePolicy NotesQuickStatsSurveillance Reports

• Surveillance Reports 2024-05-02

  2 370 87

  Epidemiological Characteristics of Cases and Deaths of Vibrio vulnificus Sepsis, 2023

  Seon Kyeong Park, So Yeon Park, Jisu Won, Hyungjun Kim, Sungchan Yang, Jin Seon Yang

  Public Health Weekly Report 2024; 17(17): 675-689 https://doi.org/10.56786/PHWR.2024.17.17.1

  

  

  Abstract

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  Vibrio vulnificus sepsis is acute septicemia caused by V. vulnificus and it is a class 3 infectious disease designated under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act. The mean number of cases over the years 2018 to 2022, in the Republic of Korea, was 51.4, with a fatality rate of 38.6%. In 2023, there were 69 patients with V. vulnificus sepsis (patients or probable patients) and 27 deaths, with a fatality rate of 39.1%. In 2023, the number of patients increased approximately 1.3 times compared to the mean of the previous five years, and 91.3% of the reported cases were concentrated in August, September, and October. Based on an analysis of epidemiological survey reports, the main presumed infection route for confirmed patients was seafood consumption. It was the most common (42 [61.8%]) and there were also five (7.4%) cases presumed to have been infected after wounded skin was exposed to seawater. Additionally, 92.6% of the deceased had underlying diseases, such as liver disease, diabetes, and alcoholism. The number of patients with V. vulnificus sepsis in 2023 increased by approximately 1.5 times compared to the previous year, but the demographic and epidemiological characteristics of the confirmed patients were similar to those previously reported. The results of an annual surveillance project, including patient epidemiological characteristics and infection route analysis, is expected to serve as a basis for the prevention and management of V. vulnificus sepsis in the future.

• Policy Notes 2024-05-02

  0 286 85

  Project to Reduce the Health Disparity in Subregions of Gyeongnam Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention

  Yangwha Kang, Soo-Jung Park

  Public Health Weekly Report 2024; 17(17): 690-713 https://doi.org/10.56786/PHWR.2024.17.17.2

  

  

  Abstract

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  In August 2019, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (currently the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency) aimed to identify the factors associated with health disparities in each region of Korea to improve the health of local residents and establish measures to resolve health disparities tailored to regional characteristics through the Subregional Health Disparity Reduction Pilot Project. Since 2020, this project has been promoted with the goal of improving health disparities at the subregional level, targeting vulnerable groups to make the results for the entire community visible, and resolving subregional health problems and health disparities. This report examines the status and past achievements of the Gyeongnam Region Subregional Health Disparity Resolution Project conducted in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam by the Chronic Disease Investigation Department of the Gyeongnam Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention in cooperation with local governments and explores development tasks for expanding the Project in the future. Over the past four years (2020–2023), this project has established a standard model for regional health promotion and health disparity resolution intervention projects, and the related information was assessed through evaluation after the implementation of the intervention project. Efforts have been made to create a scientific basis for policy preparation by verifying the project’s effectiveness. As a result, clues for improving the health of vulnerable areas were obtained, and local interest in health issues has increased. Furthermore, this project in the Gyeongnam subregion should be developed by establishing a system as well as a national standard model.

• QuickStats 2024-05-02

  2 340 118

  Trends in Prevalence of Hypertension, 2012–2022

  Public Health Weekly Report 2024; 17(17): 714-715 https://doi.org/10.56786/PHWR.2024.17.17.3

  

  

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