A rapid GI test to detect viruses, bacteria and diarrhoea within 24 hours are among the enhanced systems developed by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The HPA has extended its syndromic surveillance systems to monitor A&E, walk-in centres and GP out-of-hours services as well as surgeries and calls to NHS Direct. In addition, clinicians in paediatric and adult intensive care units in some hospitals will be able to report cases of new or emerging infections using a customised web-based tool.
HPA Olympics lead Dr Brian McCloskey said the HPA would write to health professionals reminding them to report symptoms of infectious diseases promptly.
Picture: The £23 million state-of-the art Olympic Polyclinic opens this month, providing 'immediate and necessary care' to 16,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes and team officials. The centre will revert to the NHS, which contributed £17 million in funding, after the Games.