HealthMap

HealthMap is a website that provides real-time information about emerging infectious diseases, and the effect of those diseases on human and animal health. The website uses an automated process to monitor more than 200 online sources for early disease outbreak alerts. These sources include online news aggregators, eyewitness reports, expert-curated discussions and validated official reports.

Overview

HealthMap was launched in 2006 by a team of researchers, epidemiologists and software developers at Boston Children's Hospital. The goal of the project was to create a global disease alert system. HealthMap is now used by public health officials, healthcare providers, and travelers who need to be aware of disease outbreaks.

Functionality

HealthMap collects data from various sources and uses an algorithm to rank the data based on factors such as the reliability of the source and the severity of the disease. The data is then displayed on an interactive map, which allows users to view disease outbreaks by location, disease, and time. The map is updated every fifteen minutes.

Impact

HealthMap has been used to track diseases such as H1N1, Ebola, and Zika virus. In 2014, HealthMap was one of the first systems to identify the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The system has also been used to predict the spread of diseases, such as the Zika virus in the Americas.

Criticism

While HealthMap has been praised for its ability to quickly identify disease outbreaks, it has also been criticized for its reliance on unofficial sources, which can lead to false alarms. However, the creators of HealthMap argue that the benefits of early detection outweigh the risks of false alarms.

See also

• Epidemiology
• Public health
• Infectious disease

HealthMap Resources
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