1. Background

One Health is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. SORMAS is a digital open-source platform designed to enhance disease surveillance, outbreak management and response capabilities. As part of the broader One Health initiative, the SORMAS Environmental Surveillance Module focuses specifically on integrating environmental data into the surveillance and response framework.

2. Overview

The module leverages real-time data on climate air samples, land use, water quality, to enhance the early detection of potential disease outbreaks, improve risk assessments, and facilitate more targeted efficient response strategies.  The inclusion of water, soil, rock, air, and biota samples monitoring in the SORMAS Environmental Surveillance Module dashboard aligns with the overarching purpose and objectives of the health software.

3. Key Features

Key features include:

Environmental Data Integration: It enables the collection and integration of diverse environmental data, including water, soil, rock samples, air quality, and biota, into the SORMAS platform.

Real-time Monitoring:  The module affords real-time monitoring of environmental parameters, which allows for timely detection of changes or anomalies that may influence the spread of infectious diseases.

Geospatial Mapping: The module uses geospatial mapping capabilities to visualize and analyse environmental data, improving a spatial understanding of disease patterns and hotspots.

Early Warning System: Enhances the early warning system of SORMAS by incorporating environmental indicators, which in turn enables proactive responses to potential disease outbreaks based on environmental risk factors.

Comprehensive Risk Assessment and Data Analytics: the module supports comprehensive risk assessments through data analytics of environmental data to identify areas with higher susceptibility to disease transmission, aiding targeted intervention.

Sample Tracking and Management: The features enabled to record and monitor sample collection; its systematic tracking and management ensures data integrity and traceability throughout the surveillance process.  

User-friendly Interface: Provides a user-friendly interface, ensuring that users can easily navigate and utilize the platform for efficient environmental surveillance.

4. Target Audience

Target audience for the SORMAS environmental surveillance module include Public Health Officials, environmental Health Officers, epidemiologists, data analysts, researchers, government Agencies, non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and community Health Workers, among others.

5. Use Cases

The SORMAS environmental surveillance module can be used for: early detection of disease outbreaks, waterborne disease monitoring, air quality and respiratory infections, foodborne illness investigations, vector-borne disease control, monitoring climate-sensitive diseases and emergency response planning, among others.

6. Further Information

For further information on this module you can:

• Watch the SORMAS Foundation webinar recording on the presentation of the environmental surveillance module: SORMAS Webinar

• Explore the demo version at https://demo.sormas.org/ (logging in as 'Environmental Surveillance User').

• Exchange Information about the environmental module with other SORMASians in the SORMAS Community.