The Louisiana Office of Public Health (OPH) conducts emergency department (ED) syndromic surveillance using the Louisiana Early Event Detection System (LEEDS). LEEDS automatically processes electronic chief complaint and diagnosis data to identify ED visits indicative of specific syndromes. The Infectious Disease Epidemiology section (IDEpi) of OPH uses LEEDS to monitor infectious disease and injury syndromes during natural or man-made disasters and high profile events. Past events monitored include hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Isaac, the Gulf Coast oil spill, yearly Mardi Gras festivities, marsh fires and chemical leaks. LEEDS has proven to be an invaluable tool in providing all-hazards public health situational awareness during these types of events by enabling near real-time monitoring of infectious disease and injury syndromes.
Objective
To demonstrate the value of syndromic surveillance as a tool to provide situational awareness during high profile events such as the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras in New Orleans, LA.