COVID-19 module in SRWE system – application and use in epidemiological surveillance and reporting to international institutions

Abstract

The new SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2) coronavirus causing acute respiratory disease COVID-19 (2019 coronavirus disease) detected in China in 2019 very quickly revealed its epidemic potential and was recognized as a global health problem. The situation caused by the rapidly increasing number of new cases and deaths due to COVID-19 required the rapid development of international recommendations and procedures to limit the spread of infections and ongoing monitoring of the epidemiological situation. In the field of epidemiological surveillance of COVID-19 cases, international organizations - WHO and regionally ECDC, have developed basic requirements for reporting data on newly detected cases of infection. In order to ensure the possibility of reporting new cases and activities undertaken by sanitary-epidemiological services in the country and to fulfill the obligation to report data to the European surveillance network, it was necessary to adapt the electronic system supporting epidemiological surveillance operations, for registration of suspected and confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections. This work presents the characteristics of the new COVID-19 module created as part of the central Epidemiological Case Reporting System and a preliminary evaluation of its usefulness for the purposes of combating COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS. The Epidemiological Case Reporting System is an efficient and adequate tool that can be adapted to newly emerging threats. In order to use the module to monitor the current epidemiological situation, it is necessary to integrate it with other systems collecting data about COVID-19 patients – ie. EWP and the clinical patient register.

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