Summary of global surveillance data of infectious diseases in January 2021

ABSTRACT

In January 2021, a total of 57 infectious diseases were reported globally, affecting 225 countries and regions. Except for influenza, the top five infectious diseases affecting greatest number of countries and regions were coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19, 225), dengue fever (27), measles (17), poliomyelitis (10) and chikungunya fever (10). The top five infectious diseases with highest case fatality rates were Rift Valley fever (34.3%), Ebola virus disease (33.3%), Lassa fever (22.2%), yellow fever (10.1%) and West Nile fever (6.8%). The top five infectious diseases with greatest number of deaths were COVID-19, cholera, dengue fever, Lassa fever and Ebola virus disease. The prevalent infectious diseases in Asia were COVID-19 and dengue fever, the prevalent infectious diseases in Africa were COVID-19, Ebola virus disease, cholera, yellow fever, Lassa fever, Rift Valley fever, poliomyelitis and measles, the prevalent infectious diseases in America were COVID-19 and dengue fever, the prevalent infectious disease in Europe was COVID-19.