Using Epidemic Intelligence to Inform UK Public Health Response to Infectious Disease Threats, such as Ebola Virus Disease

Abstract

Purpose: Having an established framework to detect and assess infectious threats as they emerge enables appropriate resources to be directed to preparedness and response. Public Health England's (PHE) Emerging Infections and Zoonoses (EIZ) Section gather epidemic intelligence to detect, risk assess and manage infectious disease threats to UK public health. This is carried out through a daily horizon scanning process. Incidents with public health significance are communicated to relevant stakeholders within PHE and cross-government for situational awareness; particularly those involving high consequence infectious diseases, such as Ebola virus disease-(EVD). Methods & Materials: Approximately 100 publicly available online resources, including media, surveillance reports and scientific literature are systematically reviewed each weekday. New epidemic intelligence is reviewed by the EIZ Section to determine if it affects the current assessment of the public health risk for incidents being monitored globally. Information is validated by ensuring, where possible, that it is obtained from a reputable source and cross-referenced with other available intelligence. Results: Horizon scanning detected media reports of newly confirmed EVD cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Guinea, on 07 and 14 February 2021. Official confirmation of these reports was obtained through WHO. The EIZ Section subsequently produced daily situational reports to inform a Strategic Response Group (SRG); established on 16 February 2021 to coordinate PHE's enhanced incident response to both outbreaks. Targeted horizon scanning was used to obtain epidemiological information on each outbreak, each country's political and humanitarian situations and ongoing national and international responses. This information informed formal UK Risk Assessments containing pre-determined ‘triggers’ used to indicate the level of risk these outbreaks posed to UK public health. Additionally, PHE's SRG and Port Health team relaunched the returning worker scheme (RWS) on 19 February 2021; aimed at protecting and monitoring the health of those travelling to EVD-affected areas for their work. Conclusion: The EIZ Section's epidemic intelligence process continues to play a key role in the monitoring of EVD outbreaks and other emerging infectious disease incidents globally. The rapid identification, assessment and communication of potential emerging infectious disease threats is essential to inform appropriate public health responses.