Early Warning Practice Using Internet-Based Data

On the Internet, there is a lot of open access information related to infectious diseases, e.g., official announcement, media news, bulletin boards, blogs, and other social media. If proper data retrieval and screening methods were applied on these Internet-based data, it would be very useful to improve the timeliness of early detection for infectious diseases. In China, we practice early warning using Internet-based data with routine intelligence screening assessment every day, and respond to any unusual event in a timely manner. Through this mechanism, the surveillance and early warning of Internet-based data for infectious disease and public health emergency plays an important supplemental role to the traditional surveillance systems.