ZKEA
World Outbreak Update
Preparedness, MonitoringEarly-warning monitoring systems are a critical part of the global health system. An example of this is the World Health Organization's (WHO) monitoring programs for current and emerging diseases. This is a worldwide health reporting network that monitors and reports disease outbreaks. This network is critical in helping to manage against possible epidemics or pandemics.Some microorganisms get more monitoring focus than others. Influenza, in particular, is very carefully tracked. This is due to the fact that influenza is highly mutable, highly contagious and has a proven history as a mass-killer. In the United States the CDC (Center of Disease Control) coordinates all disease monitoring. However, despite what politicians might thing, bacteria and viruses do not respect national boundaries. Therefore, the CDC maintains a very active international program as well. It has been particularly instrumental in the detection and research of emerging African pathogens such as ebola. The CDC also coordinates the national preparedness network. This not only includes preparation for natural epidemics, but also for biological, radiological and chemical terrorism. All these American systems are being rapidly beefed up. For years the CDC struggled with funding. But nowadays it does not need to worry about getting sufficient funding, given the specter of biological terrorism. Indeed, since 9/11 a number of countries have worked to create early-warning systems for biological attacks. The United States is one of the leaders in this effort; a system was trialed during the Salt Lake City winter games and is now being rolled out nationwide. It's hoped that this system will aid in the early detection and diagnosis of the inevitable biological attack. Smallpox and anthrax are particular concerns, but there are many other possibilities. In a dark fashion, 9/11 was a blessing: despite years of warnings from many biologists and medical scientists, few policymakers took the threat of biological attacks seriously. After all, who would be crazy enough to want to kill millions of innocent civilians with weaponized viruses or bacteria? It seemed quite unlikely. But not nearly as unlikely as the notion that suicidal terrorists would crash multiple airliners into skyscrapers and the Pentagon.
Link:
World Health Organization: Disease Surveillance & Response Portal (CSR)
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| Recommended Books |
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The Complete Guide To Biological Weapons
by U.S. Department of Defense |
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The Coming Plague
by Laurie Garret |
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The Demon In The Freezer
by Richard Preston |
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The Collapse Of Public Health
by Laurie Garret |
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The Menace of Emerging Infections
by Madeline Drexler |
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The Hot Zone
by Richard Preston |
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BioHazard
by Ken Alibek |
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Plague Wars
by Tom Mangold |
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The Biology of Doom
by Ed Regis |
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Living Terrors: Survive The Bioterrorist Catastrophe
by Michael Osterholm |
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Scourge: The Once and Future Threat of Smallpox
by Jonathan Tucker |
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Virus X: Tracking The New Killer Plagues
by Frank Ryan |
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Virus Hunter
by C.J. Peters |
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Ebola: Through The Eyes of The People
by William Close |
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The Cobra Event
by Richard Preston |
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Germs: America's Secret War
by Judith Miller |
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Man & Microbes: Plagues Throughout History
by Arno Karlen |