VII. Information Management

Supplement B: SARS Surveillance

Public Health Guidance for Community-Level Preparedness and Response to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Version 2/3

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Rapid and timely reporting of cases of SARS-CoV disease and dissemination of surveillance information are key to the management of a SARS outbreak. As part of the SARS Incident and Command Management System (see Supplement A), CDC has developed a web- based reporting system for SARS RUI and SARS-CoV disease cases. This system allows states to report data on SARS RUIs and cases via one of two secure mechanisms based on the capacities at the state health departments: 1) direct entry into a web-based interface, available to all states with minimal technological requirements, or 2) upload of data from electronic databases maintained at the state into the web-based interface. Data that are reported to CDC will be exported to state health departments daily as an analyzable data set in a pre-defined format. Results of laboratory testing at CDC will be integrated into the data transmitted to the states. For more information on the web-based reporting system, contact the CDC Secure Data Network staff via telephone (800-532-9929) or email (soib@cdc.gov).

SARS-CoV disease has recently been designated a nationally notifiable disease to be reported to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS). CDC is encouraging states to use either direct entry into or data upload to the SARS web information system for SARS RUI and SARS-CoV disease cases. When clinical, epidemiologic, and laboratory data reported from states to the CDC SARS web-based reporting system meet the criteria for a reportable SARS-CoV disease case, a record will automatically be added to NNDSS and states will be notified of the transfer of data to NNDSS.

Contact tracing and monitoring will require substantial data management resources. The information technology needs for t imely surveillance and management of contacts of SARS cases are currently under discussion among CDC and partners in state and local health departments, and development of a contact tracing database is ongoing.