New Influenza Surveillance Tool Supports Communities

LAKEVILLE, MINN. [September 12, 2018] - ImageTrend announces influenza tracking using Continuum® software in preparation for the upcoming flu season.1 As each incident report is posted by EMS care providers, Continuum automatically begins to monitor the aggregate data for developing trends or surges in influenza-like symptoms. Sudden spikes or increased concentration of incidents can trigger Continuum’s alerting function. Utilizing Continuum to track Influenza can help emergency response and public health personnel understand where and when outbreaks are occurring, as well as aid in the decision process of allocating valuable resources based on changing priorities. “Continuum is a powerful tool for agencies wanting to get ahead of viral outbreaks,” said Morgan Anderson, ImageTrend Epidemiologist. “By monitoring retrospective and prospective data, organizations will be more informed when heading into the upcoming flu season.” Continuous year-round monitoring of influenza-like symptoms can assist health agencies prepare for a flu crisis. This is not only crucial for the seasonal flu, but also in monitoring flu activity that can lead to epidemic or pandemic events at any time throughout the year. According to the CDC, the 2017-2018 flu season was considered a severe season, with the highest hospitalization rates since 2009.1 Medical experts are predicting this upcoming flu season to be worse than previous years and the upcoming vaccine to again have low ...
Source: JEMS: Journal of Emergency Medical Services News - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Industry News Operations Press Releases Source Type: news