Scene from training video about community-level monitoring for outbreaks Credit: WHO / S Sihaphone "If the first warning sign we get of an outbreak is critically ill people turn up at hospital, we could already be too late to contain it” explains Dr.
Phonepadith Xangsayarath, Director of National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology (NCLE), Ministry of halth. He is explaining why his Centre, with support from WHO, is enlisting the help of staff at local health centres and district health departments to monitor for outbreaks of respiratory illnesses. “What we are trying to do with this community engagement is catch the next COVID-19 outbreak as early as possible.