On 12 May 2020, Health Protection Scotland (HPS) published the following annual surveillance reports:

• Annual summary of hepatitis A in Scotland, 2019 - there were 50 laboratory reports of hepatitis A in 2019, an increase on the 34 reported cases in 2018. 
• Annual summary of hepatitis E in Scotland, 2019 - there were 158 laboratory reports of hepatitis E in 2019, an increase on the 112 reported cases in 2018.
• Annual summary of Listeria in Scotland, 2019 - there were six laboratory reports of Listeria in 2019, a decrease on the 12 reported cases in 2018.
• Annual summary of norovirus in Scotland, 2019 -  there were 890 laboratory reports of norovirus in 2019, a decrease on the 1491 reported cases in 2018. 
• Annual summary of Shigella in Scotland, 2019 - there were 101 laboratory reports of Shigella in 2019, a slight decrease on the 115 reported cases in 2018. 
• Annual summary of Yersinia in Scotland, 2019 - there were five laboratory reports of Yersinia in 2019, a decrease on the 12 reported cases in 2018.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to affect countries across the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) produces daily situation reports, listing all affected countries and the number of confirmed cases.

The pandemic has led to unprecedented international border closures, and all countries may impose travel restrictions without notice. Consequently, the associated Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Exceptional Travel Advisory Notices still stand. British nationals are advised against all non-essential travel worldwide, and those already abroad should return to the UK if commercial flights are still available.

Information relating to travel and COVID-19 is available on the TRAVAX (for healthcare practitioners) and fitfortravel (for the general public) websites.

Information on COVID-19 for the general public is available on the NHS Inform (Scotland) and the NHS.UK (rest of the UK) websites.

Information and resources on COVID-19 for health professionals is available on the Health Protection Scotland (HPS) (Scotland) and Public Health England (PHE) (rest of the UK) websites.

Source: TRAVAX, 6 May 2020

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that, between 28 April and 2 May 2020, there were no new confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This follows the local re-emergence of EVD in the Beni health zone, where a total of seven new cases since 10 April 2020 were reported. Of these cases, four people have died, two in the community and two in treatment centres.

Beni remains the only affected zone, the other 28 previously affected health zones having reported no new confirmed cases in the past 42 days. Contact follow-up is ongoing in Beni, with the vaccination of a further 940 people, along with enhanced infection prevention and control activities and community sensitisation and engagement.

Further information and advice on EVD is available on the TRAVAX (for health professionals) and fitfortravel (for the general public) websites.

A new study authored by the University of Bristol, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Weill Cornell Medical College-Qatar, estimates the global infection prevalence and incidence of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) in 2016, the latest year for which data is available.

The study found that around 67% of the world’s population, aged from zero to 49 years-old, had HSV-1 infection in 2016, which equated to an estimated 3.7 billion people. Most of these infections were oral, with between 122 million to 192 million people estimated to have genital HSV-1 infection. The research also observed that 13% of the world’s population aged between 15 to 49 years-old were living with HSV-2 infection in 2016.

There is no cure for herpes, and while some antiviral medications can help to reduce the severity and frequency of symptoms, they cannot cure the infection. The findings of this study promote better awareness, improved access to antiviral medications and heightened HIV prevention efforts for those with genital HSV symptoms as actions that are needed globally. These measures are suggested in addition to the development of better treatment and prevention interventions, particularly HSV vaccines, to promote and protect people’s health and well-being. 

Source: WHO, 1 May 2020

The Scottish Environmental Incident Surveillance System (SEISS) recorded the following incident in the past week 

• On 5 May 2020, BBC News reported that a helicopter had been brought in to water bomb a wildfire in the Scottish Highlands. The fire broke out on 4 May 2020 on a hillside overlooking Loch Kishorn, and spread across several square kilometres of land near the village of Achintraid in Wester Ross. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) dispatched firefighters and six appliances, spending 11 hours tackling the blaze.

More detailed information can be found on the SEISS website.