Epidemiology and Surveillance
The Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit is part of the Public Health Branch in the Department of Health, Seniors and Active Living (MHSAL). The role of the Unit is to support the public health system by monitoring, analyzing and reporting on the occurrence, spread, and severity of communicable and non-communicable diseases and conditions in Manitoba.
The Surveillance Unit at MHSAL systematically receives and manages reportable communicable disease data as prescribed by The Public Health Act. The Unit is involved in notifying public health offices across Manitoba of cases of communicable disease, and managing the flow of information to and from these offices in support of regional public health investigations.
Working in close collaboration with the Surveillance Unit, the epidemiologists at MHSAL analyze the case-based data collected by the Surveillance Unit to create reports and updates that can be used for planning, implementing, and evaluating public health interventions and programs. Epidemiology is a discipline that considers the distribution of disease, and focuses on questions, such as: who is getting the disease within a population, as well as when and where it is occurring. Epidemiologic information can be used to detect and monitor trends or changes in the population’s health, as well as monitor health events (such as disease outbreaks) and determinants of health.
Together, the Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit works to support the public health system and the health of Manitobans.
Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living |
