EbolaTracks: an automated SMS system for monitoring persons potentially exposed to Ebola virus disease

An article from the Euro Surveillance Bulletin

EbolaTracks: an automated SMS system for monitoring persons potentially exposed to Ebola virus disease

From the results posted in Eurosurveillance: "To date, the system has sent a total of 1,108 messages soliciting symptom information, of which 1,008 (91%) received a return SMS; the remaining 100 outgoing EbolaTracks messages received no reply or were uninterpretable and required telephone follow-up by the Department of Health to confirm that the participants remained well and afebrile. Of the 1,008 responses received, 1,007 replies indicated the individuals were well and afebrile; one participant reported an elevated temperature. At the end of December, this non-HCW who had returned from one of the EVD-affected countries six days prior, replied by SMS with a temperature of 37.7°C. This response generated an alert to the on-call medical officer who subsequently interviewed the traveller. "

Study RegionAustralia
OrganizationCommunicable Disease Control Directorate
Issue or ProblemDecreasing the spread of communicable diseases
Tech MediumSMS
Technology DeviceMobile phones
mFHAST ImplicationOpportunity for use of SMS to effectively track and monitor people who have been exposed to virulent diseases
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Categories: Public Health
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