Outbreak tools
Tutorials, algorithms for outbreak management and tools for threat updates, detection of outbreak signals and prioritisation of threats.
Algorithm for Ebola virus disease contact management
The algorithm describes the possible actions for public health authorities for monitoring of contacts of Ebola virus disease case and the actions to take in the event of a contact developing symptoms.
Algorithm for initial assessment and management of patients for Ebola virus disease
This algorithm demonstrates the possible actions that public health authorities can take for assessing and managing patients of Ebola virus disease.
Algorithm for laboratory diagnosis of Ebola virus disease
The algorithm for detection of Ebola virus nucleic acid in a clinical specimen indicates the steps required to consider a case as laboratory confirmed, as per laboratory criteria.
Algorithm for public health management of cases under investigation for Zika virus infection
The aim of this algorithm is to determine when a person who has been exposed to Zika virus needs to be tested and notified, and when vector control measures should be considered around a case.
Assessment tool for influenza pandemic preparedness in European countries
The tool is used for ongoing country support visits by joint missions from ECDC, the European Commission, and WHO EURO. The tool follows the main components of the European Commission communication on pandemic influenza preparedness and response planning in the European Community, the WHO global influenza preparedness plan, the WHO checklist for influenza pandemic preparedness planning, and existing country preparedness plans.
Communication toolkit on gastrointestinal diseases: How to support infection prevention in schools
This toolkit aims to support infection prevention in schools, with a focus on gastrointestinal diseases, by assisting EU/EEA countries in their communication initiatives for disease prevention in school settings.
ECDC model for national pandemic preparedness
ECDC presentational tool to visualise the multi-dimensional aspects needed to ensure adequate preparedness for a pandemic (September 2008). This tool highlights aspects that national authorities need to consider in order to move towards full preparedness across in three crucial dimensions: from plans through practise (exercises) to preparedness; from national level planning to operational planning for local and front line staff; and from health sector to multisectoral approach.
ECDC news in the palm of your hand: download our app!
A new and practical way to get information about infectious disease threats on the go. Get the latest news on disease outbreaks and ECDC risk assessments.
ECDC Pandemic Preparedness Self Assessment Indicators
This is part of the pandemic preparedness assessment tool for Europe, developed by the Unit for Preparedness and Response at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in Stockholm, in collaboration with the European Commission and the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Europe.
ECDC tool for the prioritisation of infectious disease threats
This qualitative tool, implemented as an Excel workbook, ranks infectious disease threats in a transparent, comparable and methodologically reproducible manner.
EpiSignalDetection tool
Public health experts and epidemiologists can use the tool to detect signals for outbreaks, based on changes in disease incidence.
Legionnaires' disease outbreak investigation toolbox
The main objective of this site is to provide a series of practical tools that Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway and ECDC can use to facilitate a co-ordinated investigation and response to clusters and outbreaks of Legionnaires' Disease with an EU dimension.
Online tutorial on how to detect and assess public health threats
This tutorial demonstrates the various epidemic intelligence steps that need to be undertaken in order to timely detect and assess current and emerging threats to human health from communicable diseases.
Suggested ‘Acid Tests’ for helping assess, stregthen local preparedness for moderate or severe pandemics
The idea of these acid tests is that those responsible for local services can use them to assess whether the can deliver what is expected of them in a crisis. They should be applied along with planning assumptions of 20-30% of staff being off sick for short periods (2 to 3 weeks) just when numbers of people seeking or requiring care increases considerably.
Template for pandemic evaluations
The objective of this Excel sheet and the accompanying Word document is to provide a simple template for evaluations of National Pandemic Responses in European Union (EU) and EEA member states
Toolkit for investigation and response to Food and Waterborne Disease Outbreaks with an EU dimension
The purpose of this toolkit is to provide investigators with a series of tools that can be useful during an investigation of a European FWD outbreak, i.e. an outbreak that involves at least two EU Member States.
Page last updated
13 Jun 2019