PHWR Public Health Weekly Report

Vol.13 No.21, May 21, 2020 Article TypeCOVID-19 Special ReportEpidemiology and SurveillancePublic Health Issues

• COVID-19 Special Report 2020-05-21

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  Weekly report on the COVID-19 situation in the Republic of Korea (As of May 16, 2020)

  Kim Miyoung, Kweon Sanghui, Kim Yeonju, Kim Younghwa, Yeom Hansol, Choi So Young, Hwang Insob, Yoo Hyosoon, Park Young Joon, Gwack Jin, Park Ok

  Public Health Weekly Report 2020; 13(21): 1468-1481

  

  

  Abstract

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  This is a weekly report on the COVID-19 situation in the Republic of Korea based on the confirmed cases reported through the Integrated System to Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention according to the INFECTIOUS DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION ACT and based on the epidemiological investigation by central and local health authorities.
  As of May 16, 2020, there were 11,057 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and including 262 deaths. Confirmed cases were reported in all 17 provinces/cities in Korea, with the highest number of cases from Daegu, Gyeongbuk, Seoul, and Gyeonggi. The results indicated that, by gender, women accounted for a slightly higher proportion (58.8%, n=6,504) of total confirmed cases than men. And, by age the median age was 43 years old (range: 0 to 104 years old).
  The main infectious paths confirmed by epidemiological investigations showed several major clusters related to COVID-19. Of the total cases, the proportion of imported cases was 10.6% (n=1,172); 47.1% (n=5,212) were Shincheonji (and related); 33.6% (n=3,711) are small clusters and contacts of confirmed cases (other than Shincheonji); and 8.7% (n=962) are currently under investigation as per infection route surveys.

• Public Health Issues 2020-05-21

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  희귀질환 극복의 날(Rare Disease Day)

  박소연, 안윤진

  Public Health Weekly Report 2020; 13(21): 1482-1482

  

  

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• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2020-05-21

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  Rare Diseases Management in Korea

  Park So-Yeon, Hwang Young Soon, Choi Eun-Kyoung, Jang Hye-Won, KIm Se Eun, Ahn Younjhin

  Public Health Weekly Report 2020; 13(21): 1483-1490

  

  

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  Rare diseases are characterized by a lack of information due to the large number of rare diseases and the low number of patients, make them difficult to diagnose and treat. In addition, rare disease patients do not receive proper care due to the lack of experience in rare diseases among the majority of medical practitioners. Since 2001, medical financial assistance has been provided for rare disease patients with low-income in Korea, but there has been a limit to systematic support and management due to the absence of relevant laws. The ‘First National Plan for Rare Disease Management (2017-2021)’ was established to present a legal standard of rare diseases and to systematically manage them according to the implementation of the Rare Disease Management Act in December 2016. This report summarized what has been carried out to date: designation of rare diseases, medical financial assistance for rare diseases, reference centers, diagnosis support programs, and a national rare disease registration database.

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2020-05-21

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  Results of the National Infectious Disease Surveillance, from January to April 2020

  Baek Soojin, Park Kwangsuk, Lee Eungyeong, Park Sujin, Lee Sanghyuk, Lee Jihee, Song Jeongsuk, Lee Donghan

  Public Health Weekly Report 2020; 13(21): 1491-1502

  

  

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  The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) monitors and manages 86 infectious diseases in four categories according to the 「INFECTIOUS DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION ACT」. Strong prevention measures, which affected not only COVID-19 but also other infectious diseases, began after the first case of Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) was confirmed on January 20th, 2020.
  From January to April 2020, waterborne and foodborne infectious diseases (Category Ⅱ) decreased 71% compared to the previous year and 51% compared to the average during the past three years. Gastrointestinal infections (Category Ⅵ) decreased 26% compared to the previous year and 20% compared to the average during the past three years. Of the respiratory infections (Category Ⅱ), varicella and mumps decreased significantly in March 2020 when emergency remote teaching (ERT) was adopted as a COVID-19 preventative measure. Furthermore, the influenza epidemic ended on March 27, 2020 twelve weeks earlier than in the 2018-2019 influenza season. Dengue fever, an imported infectious disease, decreased 26% compared to the previous year (2019). However, one case occurred in April 2020 which brought the number of cases down more than 90% from the same period last year (2019).
  This study estimated that waterborne and foodborne infectious diseases and respiratory infectious diseases decreased due to the opening of ERT and as individuals adopted strict personal hygiene measures such as hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes. In addition, it was estimated that the number of imported infectious disease cases decreased because of the bans and restrictions on international travel.