Outbreak of Influenza in Bentonville

1. Selection of communicable disease

The selected communicable disease that has had outbreak in international borders in Influenza.

1. Desrcibtion Of The Outbreak

An influenza outbreak was first reported in Bentonville on January 5, 2024, and quickly caused a rapidly expanding health epidemic (Ye et al., 2016). This easily communicable flu strain swiftly traversed geographic regions, constantly affected public health concerns, and raised panic levels. It initially hit major countries in the American continent, including the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as well as some European countries, including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany (Ye et al., 2016). Indications showed that by the end of January, the United States alone had recorded the highest number of cases, representing approximately 40 per cent of the global cumulative value. Together with Canada and Mexico, North America comprised 25% of the cases, while European cases had the United Kingdom at 11. 5%, France had 8%, and Germany 5%(Andrew et al., 2024).

Bentonville is one of the facilities affected by the influenza outbreak, which was noticed on the 5th of January in 2024. This easily transmissible strain of flu developed and crossed over into several nations as it became evident that it was putting immense pressure on public health domains and raising significant alarm (Ye et al., 2016). The major countries impacted by this outbreak are the United States of America, Canada, the State of Mexico, and some European countries like the United Kingdom, France, and Germany (Xu et al., 2016). Looking at the statistical analysis of the outbreak, the research also established that by the end of the first month of the world reporting the outbreak, the United States was reporting a significant number of cases, having a global figure of about 40 per cent (Ye et al., 2016). Thus, together for Canada and Mexico, the countries represented 25% of the cases in North America for which Canada was responsible for 15% and Mexico for 10%  (Ye et al., 2016). The same distribution shows that European countries imported the highest number of cases, with the United Kingdom accounting for nearly 12 per cent of the total cases recorded worldwide. France was the second most affected country, with 8% of the overall cases, and Germany was the third, with 5% (Xu et al., 2020). The quick transmission of the virus also emphasized the importance of the collective action that would be provided through the cooperation of different nations.

B1. Epidemiological Determinants and Risk Factors

The disease’s attributes include the virus strain, its tendency to affect people during particular seasons, and population density. The flu happened due to the strai_SH3N2, which is known for the frequent mutation and ability to overcome immune systems (Ye et al., 2016). They recorded the virus outbreak shortly before the Christmas holidays when influenza is known to be most likely to occur and spread due to environmental influences that promote its survival. On this note, high population density in the urban region compounded the problem. It led to fast virus transmission, thus escalating the outbreak and adding to the difficulty experienced in preventing the spread of the infection (Hsieh et al., 2010). The vulnerable groups of people who found themselves at high risk of contracting the flu included people of a certain age, with specific chronic conditions, or who had not received a flu vaccination. Children below the age of five and seniors above sixty-five years were more at risk because their immune systems were weaker.

B2. Route of Transmission

Influenza is a respiratory illness that takes a respiratory mode of transmission, whereby the infected person spreads droplets through the air via cough, sneeze, or even speech. Droplets may be full of thousands of viral particles and can move distances of up to six feet to land in the mouths and noses of persons adjacent or inhaled into the lungs (MacFadden et al., 2018). This transmission mode is fast and most likely to occur when people are many or confined in a space or area. Besides droplet transmission, the influenza virus can be transmitted through direct contact with affecting surfaces. For instance, the virus may remain viable for several hours and even days, depending on certain factors such as temperature.

B3. Impact on Community Systems

Since the rampant spread of influenza, several schools were closed. Frequent sick leaves among learners and implementers affected admission rates, forcing schools and institutions to shut down. To be able to learn while these seasons were closed, measures that allowed learners to continue learning from home were adopted to ensure they did not lose their studies (Hsieh et al., 2010). The local governments helped by concentrating on the campaigns being conducted to spread awareness about the cases and ensuring strict implementation of quarantine measures to contain the spread of the disease. Emergency services were stretched to the limit by unprecedented demand in specific public sectors such as health and welfare. This had to be addressed by working proactively to ensure the increased demands for calls and interventions were met sufficiently (Ye et al., 2016). Employees also experienced cases of adversity in the business sectors whereby high rates of employees’ ill health led to absenteeism of workers and, thus, reduction of productivity. In the case of COVID-19, spending restrictions, inability to visit restaurants and other closed-down stores, and a general sense of uncertainty posed significant problems, especially for small businesses impacted financially. Hospitals were at the forefront of the disaster because they were facing a rising number of people in hospitals who congested the emergency and intensive care departments.

B4. Reporting Protocol

At the facilities level, those responsible for diagnosing individuals stricken with flu are responsible for informing the local health department about the illnesses experienced. These departments are supposed to gather data regarding the given infection and give an idea about how it is spreading and how severe it is in the region (Andrew et al., 2024). The information mentioned is then compiled and reported to the state health department, which uses the data to assess the next course of action and resource mobilization. In the case of the federal level, the particular state health departments forward their investigation results to the CDC. The CDC is given the responsibility to analyze trends that are current nationally; thus, it has a broader picture of the effects due to the outbreak (Andrew et al., 2024). Also, the CDC collaborates with global health organizations to address the epidemic internationally by sharing important information and approaches. Moreover, the multiple-tier structure of this reporting system guarantees the integration and performance of numerous measures while managing the influence of this flu epidemic.

B5. Preventive Strategies

Mac Keith and Weeks, 2004 stress the importance of patient education methodologies in managing flu epidemics. One strategy is annual vaccination promotion, which involves awareness of the need for a flu vaccine yearly and offering the vaccine to susceptible persons such as the elderly, children, and clients with chronic illnesses. These campaigns can be beneficial in raising the average coverage for vaccinations and lowering the risks of contracting influenza (Xu et al., 2016). Furthermore, changing personal habits is also critical, particularly in matters related to washing. The WHO has called for concerted teaching and counselling, emphasizing hand washing, mat or cloth coverage when coughing or sneezing, and using alcohol-based hand rubs to reduce virus transmission.

It is also worth noting that community education measures are central to preventing influenza. Apparently, using such media, it is possible to launch prevention campaigns for influenza disease, identify symptoms, and determine the time for a visit to the medical centre (Xu et al., 2020). These campaigns should encompass a large population to avoid exposing a few individuals and instead benefit many through spreading the word on preventive measures.

1. Bentonville Action Report

See the attched files

References

Andrew, C. L., Russell, S. L., Coombe, M., Zlosnik, J. E. A., Kuchinski, K. S., Caleta, J., Fjell, C., Berhane, Y., Bowes, V., Redford, T., Thacker, C., Wilson, L., Henaff, M., Harms, N. J., Jassem, A., Giacinti, J., Soos, C., Prystajecky, N., & Himsworth, C. (2024). Descriptive Epidemiology and Phylodynamics of the “First Wave” of an Outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1 Clade 2.3.4.4b) in British Columbia and the Yukon, Canada, April to September 2022. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/2327939

Hsieh, Y. H., Fisman, D. N., & Wu, J. (2010). On epidemic modeling in real time: An application to the 2009 Novel A (H1N1) influenza outbreak in Canada. BMC Research Notes, 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-3-283

MacFadden, D. R., McGeer, A., Athey, T., Perusini, S., Olsha, R., Li, A., Eshaghi, A., Gubbay, J. B., & Hanage, W. P. (2018). Use of genome sequencing to define institutional influenza outbreaks, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2014-15. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 24(3). https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2403.171499

Xu, W., Berhane, Y., Dubé, C., Liang, B., Pasick, J., Vandomselaar, G., & Alexandersen, S. (2016). Epidemiological and Evolutionary Inference of the Transmission Network of the 2014 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N2 Outbreak in British Columbia, Canada. Scientific Reports, 6. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep30858

Xu, W., Weese, J. S., Ojkic, D., Lung, O., Handel, K., & Berhane, Y. (2020). Phylogenetic Inference of H3N2 Canine Influenza A Outbreak in Ontario, Canada in 2018. Scientific Reports, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-63278-z

Ye, M., Jacobs, A., Khan, M. N., Jaipaul, J., Oda, J., Johnson, M., & Doroshenko, A. (2016). Evaluation of the use of oseltamivir prophylaxis in the control of influenza outbreaks in long-term care facilities in Alberta, Canada: A retrospective provincial database analysis. BMJ Open, 6(7). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011686