Communicable Diseases – NYU GPH Journal of Public Health Disasters

December 25, 2024December 25, 2024

Saba Girma, Catherine Reyes, and Emily Tannenhauser’s Avian Flu Disaster Response Plan

Introduction: The town of Litchfield, Connecticut, is home to agricultural communities, including the Litchfield Farm Community, where avian influenza (bird flu) poses a significant risk. This highly contagious viral disease affects poultry, with potential zoonotic transmission to humans, leading to severe public health risks. Human cases of avian influenza can lead to severe respiratory illness and carries a high mortality rate if not promptly treated.

December 23, 2024December 23, 2024

Samantha Whitegeese, Josephine Edery, and Saba Changizi’s Norovirus Emergency Disaster Plan

Introduction: Norovirus is an extremely contagious virus often referred to as the “stomach bug or flu.” Noroviruses are thought to be responsible for close to 90% of epidemic, non-bacterial outbreaks of gastroenteritis around the world due to its level of contagion, easily spreading through large populations rapidly. The onset of symptoms typically presents within 12-48 hours and is contracted through direct contact (oral route of transmission) with infected individuals, consuming contaminated foods as well as touching contaminated surfaces. While the characteristics of this virus have the potential to put any given individual at risk, there are several factors that may increase risk levels. these include consumption of raw shellfish, children under five years of age, pregnant individuals, elderly and immunocompromised individuals.

December 19, 2024December 19, 2024

Lexie Zinselmeier, Luis Guillermo Gómez Escobar, and Rao Fu’s Dengue Disaster Response Plan for Kenya

Introduction: As climate change continues to increase the average global temperature, the burden of vector-borne diseases continues to rise. This is evident in the most common mosquito-borne disease worldwide, dengue. Currently in Africa there are 13 countries with active transmission, including Kenya. Poverty, combined with inadequate sanitation significantly contributes to dengue outbreaks in Kenya. Poor waste management and lack of proper drainage systems lead to stagnant water in urban areas, creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

December 19, 2024

Dagoberto Jameson, Ritu Bhatt, and Neha Shyamkul’s Mpox Disaster Response Plan for New York City

Introduction: Mpox is an infectious disease that has led to a global outbreak in many African countries since 2022 and continues spreading globally to this day. Mpox spreads from close contacts, such as skin to skin, mouth to mouth, mouth to skin, and face to face. According to the WHO, the current outbreak in Central Africa and now in the U.S. has been classified as a public health emergency. Since November 2024, 391 people in New York City have tested positive for Mpox.

December 19, 2024December 19, 2024

Natalia Ramon, Brianna Baez, and Felipe Garcia Jr.’s West Nile Outbreak Disaster Response Plan for Colorado

Introduction: Since 2002, West Nile Virus has been consistently reported in Colorado. In 2023, the incidence of West Nile Virus cases increased significantly due to a rise in the mosquito population, which can be attributed to higher levels of rainfall. Since 2003, Colorado has documented a total of 6,714 cases of West Nile Virus, resulting in 229 fatalities and 1,697 hospitalizations associated with the virus. Notably, in 2023, the annual incidence of cases tripled compared to those reported in 2021.
While the risk of contracting West Nile Virus affects anyone living in areas where
mosquitoes are present, the behavioral patterns of Colorado residents may increase
their vulnerability.

December 13, 2024December 25, 2024

Ishita Nair, Manasi Narayan, and Madison Crombie’s Disaster Response Plan for Kerala, India

Introduction: Nipah virus (NiV), which was recognized in Malaysia in 1999, is a zoonotic virus spread through direct contact between infected pigs and humans. This virus can also be transmitted through contaminated food and person-to-person via exposure to secretions from infected animals and unprotected person-to-person contact. Thus it is both highly infectious as well as potentially fatal, with a fatality rate of 40-76%.

December 13, 2024December 13, 2024

Tuberculosis Re-Emerges as Leading Infectious Disease Killer

Tuberculosis re-emerges as the leading infectious disease killer globally, with reports of approximately 8.2 million people diagnosed in 2024. The significant underfunding of vaccinations and prevention information raises disease prevalence in vulnerable regions. Low and middle-income countries bear the majority of the TB burden; up to 56% of the global TB burden comes from 5 countries: India (26%), Indonesia (10%), China (6.8%), the Philippines (6.8%), and Pakistan (6.3%). While the World Health Organization (WHO) is leading efforts to advance TB vaccines, its research remains underfunded, with only a fifth of the $5 billion goal reached in 2022.

December 9, 2024December 9, 2024

Natalia Ramon, Saba Changizi, and Deshara Thomas’ Community Adherence and COVID-19 Qualtrics Report

This report aims to examine the relationship between the demographics and defining characteristics of the participants, along with their experience with the COVID-19 pandemic, their attitudes towards vaccination, and their perception of individual and governmental responses to the pandemic. The findings from this study could provide helpful insight for building future public health campaigns and policies.

December 5, 2024December 5, 2024

Kristin Memoli, Ishita Nair, and Dagoberto Jameson Qualtrics Report on COVID-19 and Community Adherence

This Qualtrics report aims to assess public attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions related to COVID-19 vaccine recommendations and exposure prevention. Using a cross-sectional survey method, this team analyzed COVID-19 vaccination status, infection history, compliance with public health measures, risk perception, and trust in information sources to understand willingness to follow public health mandates and perceived levels of concern for future pandemics.

November 19, 2024

WHO Activates the Global Health Emergency Corp to Respond to Africa’s Mpox Outbreak

With the mpox outbreak continuing to affect the lives of millions living in African countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) has activated its new Global Health Emergency Corp, or GHEC, for the first time to offer support to local healthcare and emergency services with the goal of containing and stemming the spread of the disease.