New Software Tool Under Development To Help “Connect The Dots” Between Outbreak Cases

A new software tool for epidemiologists called "Outbreak Investigator" is being developed at the University of Washington School of Public Health by Neil Abernethy and his research team. According to Abernethy, the program was set up to follow outbreaks of TB but could be used to follow the spread of other infectious diseases. In an interview with Close Up, a school publication, Abernethy says the tool can be used to ask very straightforward questions not possible with other databases because the various types of data, such as lab data, are kept separately. This tool will help to bring data together to help detect patterns. It will be piloted in the coming year, according to Abernethy

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