Table 1. Public health risk related to SFTSV human infection in China.

	Hazard	Exposure to agent	Vulnerability and resilience
Potential for spread	– A newly recognized member of Phlebovirus genus in Bunyaviridae family.   – Bunyaviruses include many public health important viruses like Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus and hantavirus.   – This family of viruses has demonstrated an ability to emerge and spread in human populations. The RNA virus has potential for mutation and ability to adapt to new hosts.	– Wide geographic distribution of vector.   – Wide variety of domestic animals may act as a reservoir.   – Virus only isolated from one specific tick species.   – Human-to-human transmission possible following blood contact.	– Most of the local hospitals can make clinical diagnosis, but it is unknown if SFTSV is included in differential diagnoses.
Impact on public health	– May lead to multiorgan dysfunction in severe cases.   – High CFR in hospitalized cases.   – Has implications for the extended use of public health resources and high level infrastructure and health care training for patient care.	– Farmers, females and the elderly seem to be the high-risk population, a population who may present to health care at a later stage of the disease and, due to their age, may have co-morbidities.	– Most of the provincial CDCs can conduct laboratory confirmation.   – Testing may not be done in all cases.   – Residents living in rural areas usually have negative health care-seeking behaviour, which may translate to more severe presentation.   – Mass media reports may lead to panic of the public and overloading of health care system during peak season.   – Most of the necessary medicine and tests are covered in medical insurance systems.

CFR – case fatality rate; CDC – Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.