Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Earthquakes are among the most striking natural phenomena, with a very high potential to set off a chain of events, including casualties and injuries, substantially impacting public health. In particular, earthquakes can trigger outbreaks and epidemics of infectious diseases during the post-earthquake period. Accordingly, we analyzed infectious diseases in Himi City during the Noto earthquake in January 2024, a period during which COVID-19 infections were also prevalent. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1, 2024, to January 14, 2024, to obtain precise, timely data on public health and estimate the short-term occurrence of infectious diseases among disaster victims after the Noto earthquake. We studied the medical records of all patients who visited the emergency department of Kanazawa Medical University Himi Municipal Hospital, located near the Noto earthquake. Of the 411 participants evaluated, 218 patients (53%) were males and 193 (47%) were females. Of the 411 people, 275 (67%) had an infectious disease. We investigated specific COVID-19 infection locations where individuals may have been infected, including primary evacuation centers, and examined the number of cases on each day of consultation. RESULTS: Infections at evacuation centers peaked on January 4 and 5, 2024. Infections at primary evacuation centers occurred on January 9, 2024. CONCLUSION: A combined pandemic and earthquake disaster may worsen disease severity. To control the risk factors of infectious diseases, primary shelters should improve our consideration of the effects of interventions and prepare for potential infectious disease outbreaks.