China CDC expert team in the field of post-disaster epidemic prevention in Datong, Qinghai

On Aug 17, a flash flood followed by mudslides hit Datong Hui and Tu Autonomous County, Qinghai Province. Health emergency response was immediately activated by China CDC to get the Disaster Rapid Response Team ready for urgent deployment. Simultaneously, a quick public health risk assessment report was submitted to the National Health Bureau to inform health decisions.

On Aug 20, the China CDC public health expert team arrived in Datong Hui and Tu autonomous county, Qinghai province to carry out on-site public health response work. Once the team arrived, a joint working group was soon set up together with experts from the health commission and CDCs at all three levels of Qinghai province, and the national communicable disease control team from Gansu province.

Over the next two days, the joint working group held an on-site work meeting to understand the disaster situation and exchange views on the key issues concerning COVID-19 and plague control, as well as environmental disinfection in the disaster-affected areas. A quick field investigation was soon conducted by the working group in the worst-hit village to identify potential risks of communicable disease, drinking water, food, temporary shelters, and environmental hygiene.

The expert team will assist local agencies in completing a number of post-disaster public health technical protocols, including the infectious disease syndromic surveillance, emergency surveillance for drinking water, food and vectors, disinfection of key areas and the emergency disposal of environmental hazards. Experts will also conduct risk assessment, sampling and testing in local temporary shelters.