Japanese Society for Infection Prevention and Control-Online Journal

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Support for Infection Control in Evacuation Centers Following 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes by Kagoshima Prefecture Medical Association Team

Hideki KAWAMURA¹⁾²⁾, Koichi TOKUDA¹⁾²⁾, Masayuki KAWAKAMI²⁾, Toshiaki ARIMURA²⁾, Tatsuya KAWAGUCHI³⁾, Tamano MATSUI⁴⁾ and Junichiro NISHI¹⁾²⁾
¹⁾Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Division of Medical and Environmental Safety, Kagoshima University Hospital²⁾Kagoshima Infection Control Team Network³⁾Department of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medical Sciences⁴⁾Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases

Doctors and nurses certified in infection control joined the Japan Medical Association Team (JMAT) of Kagoshima Prefecture to support the local medical association and administrative healthcare teams with respect to infection prevention activities at evacuation centers from April 21, 2016 (5 days after the main event) to May 1, 2016 (15 days after the main event) in Uto-city after the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. The activities comprised risk assessment pertaining to the outbreaks of infections at the evacuation centers, establishment of symptomatic surveillance, and distribution of antiseptics and equipment for infection prevention. There were no outbreaks of infectious diseases such as those of influenza and infectious gastroenteritis at the evacuation centers in Uto-city. Our activities were effective in the prevention of outbreaks at these centers. It is important to prepare a structure to support infection prevention including medical support team and disaster health emergency assistance team at the time of disasters at evacuation centers.

Key words：2016 Kumamoto earthquakes, disaster support, influenza, infectious gastroenteritis

e-mail: hidekik＠m2.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp

Received: April 17, 2017
Accepted: July 6, 2017

32 (5)：282─290,2017