The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic declared yesterday by the WHO is news around the world. China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, France and Spain accumulate the bulk of infections, and countries are re-examining their ability to cope with the pandemic after the WHO’s ‘rapapoor’ by stating that they are “deeply concerned, both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, as well as by the alarming levels of inaction ”.
Although it is not a pandemic, there are other epidemic outbreaks in the world that are being overshadowed by the coronavirus crisis. These are upturns that have emerged so far this year, not from a new virus such as SARS-CoV-2, but from ‘old acquaintances’ that scientific efforts have failed to eradicate. Let’s review which epidemic outbreaks have been active on our planet since 2020 began.
Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
On January 23, 2020, 82 confirmed and probable cases were reported in 13 areas of six health zones: Mabalako, Beni, Biena, Butembo, Katwa and Musienene. As of February 18, a total of 3,433 cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) had been reported, including 3,310 confirmed cases and 123 probable cases, of which 2,253 had died.The fatality rate for this epidemic outbreak is 66% ( that of the new coronavirus is 2%).
Dengue in Chile
Between January 27 and February 6, 2020, three cases of autochthonous dengue were confirmed on Easter Island: women aged between 27 and 49 years. By microbiological characterization, the cases were identified as serotype 2 (DENV 2). It is the first time that a serotype other than DENV 1 has been detected in this area since 2009.
Dengue is a disease that affects infants, young children, and adults. Symptoms range from mild fever to high fever, headache, eye, muscle, and joint pain, and a rash. It is transmitted by the bite of a mosquito infected with one of the four serotypes of the dengue virus.
According to the WHO, due to the popularity of Easter Island as a tourist destination, its spread to other islands or countries cannot be ruled out.
Yellow fever in Uganda
On January 23, 2020, the Minister of Health of the Government of Uganda declared an outbreak of yellow fever. Eight cases were detected in the districts of Buliisa, Maracha and Moyo. Four of the patients died.
Yellow fever is an acute hemorrhagic virus transmitted by infected mosquitoes that can spread rapidly. According to the WHO, vaccination is the main method to prevent and control yellow fever, and it provides lifelong immunity.
Measles in Central African Republic
Measles cases in the Central African Republic are due to an outbreak that began in late 2019. The latest available data, as of February 16, 2020, reveal that a total of 7,626 suspected cases have been reported, 83 of them fatal. Most of the cases, 72%, are children under the age of five ; 18% were children between the ages of five and ten.
WHO attributes the current outbreak to the low coverage of routine measles vaccination in the last five years, which has been less than 60% for the first dose at nine months of age.
