Real-Time Surveillance for Respiratory Disease Outbreaks, Ontario, Canada

Abstract

To validate the utility of a chief complaint–based emergency department surveillance system, we compared it with respiratory diagnostic data and calls to Telehealth Ontario about respiratory disease. This local syndromic surveillance system accurately monitored status of respiratory diseases in the community and contributed to early detection of respiratory disease outbreaks.

Keywords

• Respiratory infections
• surveillance
• disease outbreaks
• emergency departments
• Canada
• dispatch