Question

Number of patients complaining of Number of patients complaining of

GI symptoms (Vomiting, diarrhea)      Respiratory symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath)

Oct 2, 2019 0 1

Oct 3, 2019 0 0

Oct 4, 2019 0 1

Oct 5, 2019 2 2

Oct 6, 2019 32 4

Oct 7, 2019 54 9

Oct 8, 2019 37 15

Oct 9, 2019   0   20

Oct 10, 2019 0 29

Oct 11, 2019 0 48

Oct 12, 2019 0 72

Oct 13, 2019 0 112

Oct 14, 2019 0 150

The county health department received the above data from the emergency room of a local hospital.   A) These both represent epidemics. What type of epidemics are they and how do they differ?

B) Which epidemic (GI or Respiratory) would you be more concerned about and why?

Answer 1

A): Diarrhea is a gastroenterology infectious disease. The most common risk factors of diarrhea are contaminated food and water & caused by viral / bacterial & parasitic infection from a common source locally and can be treated effectively by oral rehydration & zinc supplementation & further prevented by hand washing / sanitation / clean water & vaccination. As per the data the diarrhea case did rise & then totally stopped as the health department must have identified the local source & treated accordingly.

The most common respiratory viral infection like flu & here the most recently discovered covid - 19 have respiratory symptoms ( like cough, fever, shortness of breath). Respiratory viral infections can be deadly especially in high risk groups /elderly.These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually.

Differ: People can catch covid-19 a very highly infectious disease from others who have the virus & this disease spreads from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth that are expelled when a person with the virus coughs, sneezes or speaks.

B): I would be concerned about the Respiratory epidemic than GI as the speed of transmission (R0 factor) is an important point of difference between the two, as seen in the data provided by the ER of the local hospital. Diarrhea cases coming down to zero and covid-19 cases increasing exponentially.