Mass gathering enhanced syndromic surveillance for the 8th Micronesian Games in 2014, Pohnpei State, Federated States of Micronesia

Abstract

Pohnpei State’s Division of Primary Health Care implemented enhanced surveillance for early warning and detection of disease to support the 8th Micronesian Games (the Games) in July 2014.The surveillance comprised 11 point-of-care sentinel sites around Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, collecting data daily for eight syndromes using standard case definitions. Each sentinel site reported total acute care encounters, total syndrome cases and the total for each syndrome. A public health response, including epidemiological investigation and laboratory testing, followed when syndrome counts reached predetermined threshold levels.The surveillance was implemented using the web-based Suite for Automated Global Electronic bioSurveillance Open-ESSENCE (SAGES-OE) application that was customized for the Games. Data were summarized in daily situation reports (SitReps) issued to key stakeholders and posted on PacNet, a Pacific public health e-mail network.Influenza-like illness (ILI) was the most common syndrome reported (55%, n = 225). Most syndrome cases (75%) were among people from Pohnpei. Only 30 cases out of a total of 408 syndrome cases (7%) presented with acute fever and rash, despite the large and ongoing measles outbreak at the time. No new infectious disease outbreak was recorded during the Games. Peaks in diarrhoeal and ILI cases were followed up and did not result in widespread transmission.The technology was a key feature of the enhanced surveillance. The introduction of the web-based tool greatly improved the timeliness of data entry, analysis and SitRep dissemination, providing assurance to the Games organizers that communicable diseases would not adversely impact the Games.

Enhanced surveillance during a public health emergency in a resource-limited setting: Experience from a large dengue outbreak in Solomon Islands, 2016-17

“…The data collection, reporting and collation process may have been streamlined through the adoption of mobile technology. Mobile technology has been successfully used as part of early warning surveillance in several developing settings [ 42 – 52 ]. Owing to the similarities SI shares with neighbouring Fiji and PNG, special attention should be paid to the work of the WHO (in Fiji) and Rosewell et al (2017) (in PNG) who report national experiences using mobile devices and Global Information Systems for outbreak and infectious-disease surveillance.…”

Mass gatherings medicine: public health issues arising from mass gathering religious and sporting events

“…The Festival of Pacific Arts and the Micronesian Games are a feature of PICTs. 38,39 Although several of the event host countries have a population under 200 000, such as Yap State (population 11 000) in the Federated States of Micronesia that hosted the 9th Micronesia games in July 2018, the health security risks remain the same, and can be proportionally greater, than similar events in larger countries, due to the influx of people and its effect on the fragile health infrastructure of PICTs. Three enhanced surveillance activities for mass gathering events in PICTs occurred during national or regional disease outbreaks that had the potential to severely affect the mass gatherings, place greater strain on health services, and cause substantial tourismrelated economic and reputation loss.…”

“…The Eighth Micronesian Games took place in Pohnpei State, Federated States of Micronesia, in July, 2014. 38 Pohnpei is a small island state of around 36 000 people in the western Pacific. The Games attracted about 1700 athletes and officials from several Micronesian countris and territories.…”

Public Health Threats in Mass Gatherings: A Systematic Review

“…Injuries were the most common health problems in these MGs. 22,26,27,29,50,59,62 Athletes and participants both were affected by injuries in the sport MGs. During the 2004 Olympic games, the most common site of injuries was the thigh, knee, and lumbar spine, respectively.…”