PHWR Public Health Weekly Report

Vol.15 No.5, February 03, 2022 Article TypeCOVID-19 Special ReportEpidemiology and SurveillanceNoncommunicable Disease Statistics

• COVID-19 Special Report 2022-02-03

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  Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant outbreak status and monitoring response plan

  Il-Hwan Kim, Ae Kyung Park, Heui Man Kim, Nam Joo Lee, Jeong-Ah Kim, Chae young Lee, Hyuk Jin Lee, Jee Eun Rhee, Eun-Jin Kim

  Public Health Weekly Report 2022; 15(5): 302-304

  

  

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• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2022-02-03

  0 605 237

  Vaccination and consequential severity and case fatality rate of COVID-19 confirmed inpatients in outbreaks at nursing hospital from September to October 2021, in Gyeonggi Province, the Republic of Korea

  Jeonghyeon Oh, Kunhee Park

  Public Health Weekly Report 2022; 15(5): 305-317

  

  

  Abstract

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  In the aftermath of the fourth wave of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in 2021, the number of confirmed cases drastically increased, and nursing hospital outbreaks continued to occur. In Gyeonggi-province, out of the 37 2021 COVID-19 outbreaks in nursing hospitals, the majority, 28 outbreaks, took place since September. The aim of this paper was to report on the correlation between COVID-19 vaccination status and case severity in five nursing hospital COVID-19 outbreaks.
  Among the 120 confirmed inpatients from five nursing hospitals outbreaks that occurred between September to October 2021, the case fatality rate per group was as follows: 40 percent for the unvaccinated, 30 percent for the partially vaccinated and 11.8 percent for the fully vaccinated.
  As for the severity of symptoms, the percentages of patients with moderate and severe symptoms were higher among the partially vaccinated and unvaccinated compared to the fully vaccinated group.
  There was a statistically significant difference in the number of COVID-19 related deaths between the fully vaccinated and the partially vaccinated/unvaccinated groups. Also the partially vaccinated/unvaccinated group had 4.5 times higher odds of death than the fully vaccinated group.
  Although the individual characteristics and underlying health conditions of the confirmed inpatients were not reflected, the analysis results showed statistically significant differences in the severity and case fatality rate depending on the vaccination status. This emphasized the importance of vaccination and risk communication for the elderly at high-risk facilities. Additionally, this report recommended that to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and provide policy insights for improving infectious disease control measures at high-risk facilities, further studies factoring in spatiotemporal variables be conducted.

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2022-02-03

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  New cases of leprosy over the past 10 years

  Park soojin, Park eonjoo, Kim sujin

  Public Health Weekly Report 2022; 15(5): 318-331

  

  

  Abstract

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  Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease is chronic granulomatous disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Leprosy is the oldest infectious disease in human history that mainly affects the skin and nerves. It is presumed to be transmitted via droplets or skin contact. However, the exact mode of transmission remains unknown. The average incubation period is 2 to 5 years but can also take as long as 20 years or more.
  This study analyzed 45 leprosy patients reported to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) between 2012 and 2021. There were 27 Koreans (60%) and 18 foreigners (40%). Of the 27 Koreans, 23 (85.2%) were in their 60years of age or older, and 18 foreigners were in their 20s and 30s. At the time of discovery, patients were afflicted with skin disease and nerve disease and 42 patients’ degree of disability was below grade1 (G1D) which means early detection. Only one case’s infection route was clearly identified as a, third-generation infliction of leprosy.
  In the past 10 years, less than 5 new cases were detected per year. The ratio of Koreans to foreigners is 6:4, which accounts for a higher proportion of foreign patients compared to other infectious diseases. Therefore, the Republic of Korea should conduct customized policies such as improving the diagnostic competency by cooperating with the private sector, strengthening global awareness, and expanding free dermatology examinations.

• Noncommunicable Disease Statistics 2022-02-03

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  Trends in the proportion of consuming more than 500g of vegetables and fruits per day, 2011-2020

  Public Health Weekly Report 2022; 15(5): 332-333

  

  

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