Communicable Diseases and Epidemiological Surveillance in Natural Disasters, with Special Emphasis on Developing Countries

Abstract

During the past decade, disasters of all types have stirred growing interest among the authorities and the public in the stricken countries and in scientific quarters. This rebirth of interest is unquestionably due as much to the brutality and spectacular nature of major disasters as to the daily growing risk of them in most developing countries. The risk is associated with the increased settlements of the population in areas under threat of such natural disasters as floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes, and with the rapid urbanization of many countries, which can only increase the number of victims and the cost of damage in future disasters.