Stringent nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as lockdowns and border closures are not currently recommended for pandemic influenza control. New Zealand used these NPIs to eliminate ...coronavirus disease 2019 during its first wave. Using multiple surveillance systems, we observed a parallel and unprecedented reduction of influenza and other respiratory viral infections in 2020. This finding supports the use of these NPIs for controlling pandemic influenza and other severe respiratory viral threats.
To explore the prevalence of ongoing symptoms and laboratory abnormalities in confirmed cases of COVID-19 from the first wave within the Greater Wellington Region, after at least 12 months post ...infection.
COVID-19 cases were obtained from EpiSurv. Eligible participants electronically completed questionnaires (Overall Health Survey, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 PHQ-9, Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 GAD-7, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, EuroQol 5 Dimension 5 Level EQ-5D-5L, Fatigue Severity Scale FSS, WHO Symptom Questionnaire, Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnoea Scale mMRC Dyspnoea Scale). Blood samples were analysed for cardiac, endocrine, haematological, liver, antibody, and inflammatory markers.
Forty-two of 88 eligible cases undertook the study. Participants were enrolled at a median 628.5 days from symptom onset. Fifty-two point four percent felt that their current overall health was worse than it was prior to contracting COVID-19. Ninety percent of participants reported at least two ongoing symptoms since their acute illness. Between 45-72% of participants reported each of anxiety, depression, dyspnoea, pain/discomfort, and sleep difficulties, assessed using the GAD-7, PHQ-9, mMRC Dyspnoea Scale, EQ-5D-5L and FSS questionnaires respectively. There were minimal laboratory abnormalities.
There is a high prevalence of ongoing symptoms following the first wave of COVID-19 infection in Aotearoa New Zealand. At a median of 1.7 years post infection, there is a wide spectrum of symptoms and symptom severity, although as an observational, cross-sectional study a causal relationship between symptoms or their severity and COVID-19 infection cannot be firmly established.
Reports the demographic and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 cases within the greater Wellington region (GWR) between 1 January and 1 August 2020. Focuses on the time course of disease from onset ...to resolution, the difference in symptoms at onset versus throughout the disease, the frequency of exacerbations of asthma, the rates of secondary infection within households, and the countries from which cases were imported. Source: National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, licensed by the Department of Internal Affairs for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand Licence.
Describes a recent case of primary meningococcal conjunctivitis (PMC) and explores the clinical and public health issues it raises. Source: National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o ...Aotearoa, licensed by the Department of Internal Affairs for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand Licence.
AIM: To explore the prevalence of ongoing symptoms and laboratory abnormalities in confirmed cases of COVID-19 from the first wave within the Greater Wellington Region, after at least 12 months post ...infection. METHOD: COVID-19 cases were obtained from EpiSurv. Eligible participants electronically completed questionnaires (Overall Health Survey, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 PHQ-9, Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 GAD-7, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, EuroQol 5 Dimension 5 Level EQ-5D-5L, Fatigue Severity Scale FSS, WHO Symptom Questionnaire, Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnoea Scale mMRC Dyspnoea Scale). Blood samples were analysed for cardiac, endocrine, haematological, liver, antibody, and inflammatory markers. RESULTS: Forty-two of 88 eligible cases undertook the study. Participants were enrolled at a median 628.5 days from symptom onset. Fifty-two point four percent felt that their current overall health was worse than it was prior to contracting COVID-19. Ninety percent of participants reported at least two ongoing symptoms since their acute illness. Between 45-72% of participants reported each of anxiety, depression, dyspnoea, pain/discomfort, and sleep difficulties, assessed using the GAD-7, PHQ-9, mMRC Dyspnoea Scale, EQ-5D-5L and FSS questionnaires respectively. There were minimal laboratory abnormalities. CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of ongoing symptoms following the first wave of COVID-19 infection in Aotearoa New Zealand. At a median of 1.7 years post infection, there is a wide spectrum of symptoms and symptom severity, although as an observational, cross-sectional study a causal relationship between symptoms or their severity and COVID-19 infection cannot be firmly established.
Ciguatera fish poisoning Armstrong, Patrick
New Zealand medical journal,
28 Oct 2016, Volume:
129, Issue:
1444
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Presents a cluster of ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) cases that occurred in Wellington Hospital, resulting in three patients with life threatening cardiotoxicity and a fourth case with severe ...gastrointestinal symptoms. Discusses epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and public health issues. Source: National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, licensed by the Department of Internal Affairs for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand Licence.
Reports clinical, laboratory, and environmental findings of a cluster of three cases of leptospirosis on a New Zealand dairy farm. Discusses the cluster against the annual incidence of leptospirosis ...in humans and cattle, and the vaccination of cattle as one means of preventing human cases on farms. Source: National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, licensed by the Department of Internal Affairs for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand Licence.
A case of botulism in New Zealand Smyth, Duncan
New Zealand medical journal,
20 Nov 2015, 2015-Nov-20, 20151120, Volume:
128, Issue:
1425
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Describes the first case of food-borne botulism seen in NZ for 30 years. Source: National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, licensed by the Department of Internal Affairs for ...re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand Licence.
Background
New Zealand's (NZ) complete absence of community transmission of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) after May 2020, likely due to COVID‐19 elimination measures, provided a ...rare opportunity to assess the impact of border restrictions on common respiratory viral infections over the ensuing 2 years.
Methods
We collected the data from multiple surveillance systems, including hospital‐based severe acute respiratory infection surveillance, SHIVERS‐II, ‐III and ‐IV community cohorts for acute respiratory infection (ARI) surveillance, HealthStat sentinel general practice (GP) based influenza‐like illness surveillance and SHIVERS‐V sentinel GP‐based ARI surveillance, SHIVERS‐V traveller ARI surveillance and laboratory‐based surveillance. We described the data on influenza, RSV and other respiratory viral infections in NZ before, during and after various stages of the COVID related border restrictions.
Results
We observed that border closure to most people, and mandatory government‐managed isolation and quarantine on arrival for those allowed to enter, appeared to be effective in keeping influenza and RSV infections out of the NZ community. Border restrictions did not affect community transmission of other respiratory viruses such as rhinovirus and parainfluenza virus type‐1. Partial border relaxations through quarantine‐free travel with Australia and other countries were quickly followed by importation of RSV in 2021 and influenza in 2022.
Conclusion
Our findings inform future pandemic preparedness and strategies to model and manage the impact of influenza and other respiratory viral threats.
Full text
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
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