International infectious disease surveillance during the London Olympic and Paralympic Games 2012: process and outcomes

Abstract

Surveillance for possible international infectious disease threats to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London, United Kingdom, was conducted from 2 July to 12 September 2012 by a collaborative team comprising representatives from the Health Protection Agency (Public Health England since April 2013), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the National Travel Health Network and Centre. Team members enhanced their usual international surveillance activities and undertook joint risk assessments of incidents identified as relevant through an agreed set of criteria designed for the Games and using tools developed for this purpose. Although team members responded to a range of international disease incidents as part of their routine roles during this period, no incident was identified that represented a threat to the Games. Six incidents were highlighted by the team that were likely to attract media attention and hence could generate political and public concern. Responding to such concern is an important aspect of the overall public health management of mass gathering events. The lessons learned about the process and outcomes of the enhanced international surveillance will help inform planning by future hosts of similar events.

London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games: public health surveillance and epidemiology

“…The HPA worked with international partners-particularly the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and WHO-to set up enhanced international surveillance for the 2012 Games. 40,41 This international surveillance monitored and assessed the risk, on a day-to-day basis throughout the surveillance period, of any infectious disease threats abroad that had the potential to aff ect health in the UK, and, in particular, at the Games. The team undertook joint risk assessments of incidents identifi ed as relevant through an agreed set of criteria designed for the Games, using methods developed for this purpose.…”

Evaluation of the surveillance system for undiagnosed serious infectious illness (USII) in intensive care units, England, 2011 to 2013

“…For instance, the HPA and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) worked jointly to identify and risk assess infectious disease hazards occurring outside the UK which may have had an impact on the Olympic and Paralympic Games [14,20]. In addition, syndromic surveillance was expanded to detect signals of uncommon illnesses [13,21].…”

“…To address these difficulties the Health Protection Agency (HPA, now part of Public Health England) developed a new surveillance system to detect cases and clusters of USII, as part of public health planning for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games between 27 July and 9 September [13,14]. The structure of this USII surveillance system is based on a sentinel network of ICUs and has been described in detail previously [15].…”

Public health surveillance for the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games

“…The lack of major incidents was not surprising given similar experiences from previous summer Olympic and Paralympic Games (11)(12)(13)(14), Canada's well-established public health infrastructure, results from the Hazard Identification Risk Assessment, and the profile of visitors to the Pan/Parapan Games (18).…”

“…Enhanced public health surveillance systems have been described for several previous Olympic Games (11)(12)(13)(14); however, smaller-scale, regional, multisport events such as the Pan/Parapan American Games have rarely been explored.…”