Emerging infectious diseases · 2000 · 141 citations · 3 references
Public HealthInfectious Disease ControlInfectious DiseasesDisease SurveillanceOutbreak InvestigationPublic Health SurveillanceDisease Surveillance SystemsInfectious Disease SurveillanceOutbreak ControlOutbreak ManagementOutbreak ReportingOutbreak ResponseDisease Outbreak SurveillanceEconomic Damage AssessmentInformation DisseminationOutbreak DescriptionOutbreak Notification SystemsOutbreak NotificationsOutbreak Reporting SystemsReportable Disease Notification Systems
Emerging infectious diseases and the growth of information technology have produced new demands and possibilities for disease surveillance and response. Increasing numbers of outbreak reports must be assessed rapidly so that control efforts can be initiated and unsubstantiated reports can be identified to protect countries from unnecessary economic damage. The World Health Organization has set up a process for timely outbreak verification to convert large amounts of data into accurate information for suitable action. We describe the context and processes of outbreak verification and information dissemination.
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