PHWR Public Health Weekly Report

Vol.15 No.32, August 11, 2022 Article TypeCOVID-19 Special ReportEpidemiology and SurveillanceNoncommunicable Disease Statistics

• COVID-19 Special Report 2022-08-11

  0 90 15

  An epidemiological study of imported coronavirus disease 2019 cases; Incheon airport 2021

  Ji Hye Moon, Myeong Eun Song, In Soo Choi, Seung Eun Lee, Chong Hee Choi

  Public Health Weekly Report 2022; 15(32): 2282-2292

  

  

  Abstract

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  This report aimed to analyze confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among imported cases at the Incheon Airport National Quarantine Station (IANQS) and to report on their epidemiological characteristics and trends while under quarantine.
  In 2021, among the 11,961 imported COVID-19 cases, 1,287 (10.8%), excluding those confirmed via air ambulance, were confirmed through quarantine at the IANQS. Of these, 849 (66.0%) were male and 616 (47.9%) were in their 20s and 30s. Approximately 76.2% of the cases were Korean nationals.
  According to the findings, approximately 19.3% of the cases were observed in June due to an increase in imported cases from Indonesia while, the number of imported cases gradually decreased to 2.8% in November. An analysis of the quarterly distribution of confirmed cases showed the highest number (n=420) in the third quarter and a rapid decrease in the fourth quarter (n=124). The decrease in confirmed cases was attributed to the reduced number of patients with symptoms and quarantine targets who were subjected to testing, from 2,941 in January to 1,000 in March and less than 1,000 after August. Among the 14,977 symptomatic cases and quarantine targets, 1,263 (8.4%) were confirmed. Only 860 (66.8%) of 1,287 total confirmed cases were symptomatic. An additional 261 (20.3%) showed unrecognized fever during quarantine without reporting symptoms and 166 (12.9%) were asymptomatic. Among foreign nationals, 169 cases of unrecognized fever were reported, more than twice the 78 confirmed symptomatic cases.
  In summary, the new COVID-19 variants and increased vaccination rates led to changes in the overall quarantine situation and the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases during quarantine in 2021. Analysis of these epidemiological characteristics is expected to povide reference data for future quarantine responses.

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2022-08-11

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  Laboratory-based diagnosis results of Japanese encephalitis in the Republic of Korea

  Ye-Ji Lee, Jin-Sook Wang, Hae Ji Kang, Deog-young Lee, Myung-Guk Han

  Public Health Weekly Report 2022; 15(32): 2295-2303

  

  

  Abstract

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  Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a vector-borne zoonotic disease caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). The virus belongs to genus Flaviviru, Family Flaviviridae, and classified into five (I-V) genotypes according to the nucleotide sequence of the envelope protein. Because of low JE viral titer and rapid production of neutralizing antibodies, serological tests are commonly used for diagnostic tests. But Serological cross reactivity of flavivirus make difficult to diagnosis of JE. This report considered the types of samples for diagnostic tests and the timing of sample collections based on the antibody testing results. In addition, JE confirmed case was estimated infected genotype and for differential diagnosis of West Nile fever, cross-reactivity was confirmed. The analysis was conducted on Japanese encephalitis patients confirmed in 2020. Virus detection test (PCR test) was negative in all samples. We confirmed IgM positive using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the acute phase of cerebrospinal fluid. In the indirect immunofluorescence assay test, the IgG antibody titers increased more than four times in the convalescent sera compared to the acute sera or were maintained as high as 1:256 or more. Neutralizing antibody titers in the PRNT were elevated or maintained in the convalescent sera compared to the acute stage in all sera. West Nile fever antibodies showed lower antibody titers than JE, and all were determined to be West Nile fever negative. On the results, the genotypes of JEV were estimated to be GI and GV with neutralizing antibodies.

• Noncommunicable Disease Statistics 2022-08-11

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  Trends in perceived health status among adolescents, 2011∼2021

  Public Health Weekly Report 2022; 15(32): 2304-2305

  

  

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