New York City-based NYC Health + Hospitals has launched the Special Pathogens Biopreparedness Map, a tool designed to help clinicians and emergency response teams track global disease outbreaks and respond to high-consequence infectious threats.
The open-source map provides near real-time outbreak data to support early identification of diseases based on patients’ travel histories and exposure risks, according to a Jan. 22 news release.
The launch builds on the system’s growing infrastructure for pathogen response. NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, Harlem and Jacobi have been designated National Special Pathogen System Level 2 Special Pathogen Treatment Centers. NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue serves as the Level 1 Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center for HHS Region 2, covering New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Biopreparedness Program regularly conducts readiness exercises to prepare for diseases such as H5N1, MERS and Marburg virus. The new tool is supported by multiple national public health partners and includes clinician fact sheets, infection control guidance and updated data sources, the release said.
