Outbreak Surveillance
Tuesday 16th March 2010
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Outbreak Surveillance
Disease outbreaks are localised increases in the occurrence of disease clearly in excess of normally expected levels. Disease outbreaks are often related to contaminated food or water, or to illness spread between people. Every year, hundreds of people in New Zealand become unwell as part of disease outbreaks, most of which are preventable. The Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited (ESR) has a central role in outbreak surveillance which includes regular analysis of surveillance data to detect emergent problems, helping to prevent disease outbreaks in New Zealand and reducing their impact.This work includes the following:
- ESR operates an outbreak surveillance system on behalf of the Ministry of Health. This system collates data on all outbreaks reported by New Zealand public health units. This data is a resource for all agencies seeking to understand the pattern of disease outbreaks in New Zealand, both locally and nationally, in order to develop strategies for disease outbreak prevention. Summarised data is available, see Surveillance Reports.
- On request, ESR provides public health unit staff with advice on outbreak detection and investigation.
- ESR has the capability to contribute to and to coordinate
the
investigation of disease outbreaks of national importance, particularly
those involving more than one health district. ESR has also produced the
Disease Outbreak Manual as a guide to management of disease outbreaks
in New Zealand.
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