Outbreak Investigation of Influenza Like - Illness (ILI) in Jajarkot, Nepal 2015

Abstract

Summary: Introduction The World Health Organization (WHO) defines influenza like illness (ILI) as an acute respiratory infection with measured fever of = 38 C°, cough and with onset within the last 10 days. This year onset of ILI outbreak in Jajarkot district was reported on 1 April (18 Chaitra) 2015. It was reported in the media that 20 students of Archane VDC were ill and some deaths recorded in the next day. By the third week of April, diseases had been noted at Paink, Sakla, Nayabada, Telegaun, Rami Danda, Rokayagaun, Laha, Kortang, and Majkot, and could spread to all 30 VDCs of the district and surrounding districts like Kalikot, Rukum, Salyan, Dolpa, Jumla, Surkhet and Dailekh in the absence of strong public health response and early treatment indicating the rapid spread of disease.

Methodology A planning meeting was carried out at central and district level to collect data for the study. Record of death cases were collected from the District Public Health Office and outpatient visit line list was obtained from health facilities and camps of three VDCs: Talegaun, Archane and Pajaru. The death cases reported from these three VDCs were verified by the study team using verbal autopsy questionnaire. The probable cause of reported death was confirmed by an independent team of expert. In-depth interviews were conducted with health professionals and patients. Records of laboratory confirmed influenza A or swine flu cases was obtained from the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) and were followed up via home visit and telephone conversation to assess the current situation after treatment. Exit client interviews were also conducted in three VDCs. However, findings of exit client interviews are not included in this report.

Findings During the outbreak March-April 2015, more than 10,000 people received treatment and 35 deaths from various diseases were reported. Among the death cases, only 6 deaths (17%) were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with ILI symptoms, 10 (29%) cases were COPD with complications (without symptoms of ILI), one case was suspected ILI where as causes of 7 deaths could not be identified based on reported signs and symptoms and rest cases were of rabies, neonatal infection, neonatal sepsis, TB, drowning, severe malnutrition, breast cancer, Gullain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) illness etc. The majority of deaths were occurred at home who did not consult for health checkup at health facilities. A total of 16 cases were found confirmed cases of swine flu or H1N1 out of total 49 samples tested. All the H1N1 positive cases confirmed by NPHL who received treatment timely were recovered. Out of 3,001 patients visited for treatment in health camp and health institutions of Talegaun, Pajaru and Archane, only 233 (7.8%) were suspected cases of ILI including common cold. The possible major factors behind frequent outbreak of communicable diseases in Jajarkot district were influx of migrating workers from India, poor hygiene and environmental sanitation, low nutrition status of people, low educational level as well as economic status, low awareness level for prevention and control of different health problems and diseases, unavailability of health professionals at peripheral level health facilities, lack of medicine compliance as well as high level of antibiotics supply from pharmaceutical shop resulting drug resistance, and high prevalence of smoking and alcoholism.

Conclusion and recommendation The majority of cases visited for treatment were chronic patients of respiratory illness, gastrointestinal problems as well as minor illness such as fever and headache (>58%) and only few were ILI (8%). Most of the problems are related to the poor economic status of people, poor nutrition status, poor practice of hygiene and sanitation, alcoholism and smoking. Hence, deployment of health personnel in all vacant posts, early diagnosis and treatment of diseases, strengthening laboratory set up at the grassroots level, development and enforcement of proper referral system, increasing health promotion program, proper management of water sources and maintenance of toilets, improving nutritional status of people and promotion of hygiene and sanitation can help to prevent frequent outbreak of communicable diseases in Jajarkot district.