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Winters Mark

Description

Influenza is associated with significant morbidity and mortality nationally each year and VA's large elderly population is at particular risk. VA Office of Public Health (OPH) has monitored influenza and influenza-like-illness (ILI) activity using the VA's biosurveillance system since 2009 (1,2). VA influenza surveillance capacity has expanded significantly in recent years to include inpatient influenza data, telephone triage data, laboratory testing data and enhanced geospatial mapping capabilities.

Objective

Herein we summarize our ongoing influenza surveillance activities and describe the 2012-2013 influenza season activity in VA.

Submitted by knowledge_repo… on
Description

DENV, CHIKV and ZIKV are all transmitted by mosquitoes and have occurred in outbreaks in the Caribbean. Common symptoms (which can be severe and disabling) are similar among the 3 viruses and include fever, joint pain/swelling, headache, muscle pain and rash. In December 2015, the first endemic case of ZIKV infection was reported by VACHS. Since that time, an increasing number of ZIKV infections have been reported in Puerto Rico. Due to the growing ZIKV outbreak, we performed ongoing testing and surveillance.

Objective

We describe surveillance for Dengue virus (DENV), Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and Zika virus (ZIKV) in VA Caribbean Healthcare System (VACHS) from the start of ZIKV transmission in Puerto Rico.

 

 

 

Submitted by uysz on