The contributions of Earth intelligence to infectious disease surveillance and risk monitoring

Infectious diseases pose a major threat to human and animal health, creating social and economic pressures worldwide. Their rapid emergence and spread mean countries need early warnings and impeccable coordination.

With waterborne diseases affecting millions each year and vector-borne diseases causing more than 700,000 deaths annually, holistic solutions are essential.

By integrating Earth observation data with epidemiological information, countries can develop decision-support tools that flag potential outbreaks, support early detection, and help protect vulnerable populations.

The GEO Health Community of Practice’s Infectious Diseases (ID) Work Group applies the One Health framework to link human, animal, and environmental data with Earth observations via a global perspective, ensuring that no region is left behind in curbing infectious disease transmission.

Earth observations such as satellite imagery, land cover, and climate data help us track environmental conditions that enable disease transmission. When combined with disease surveillance, data can support predictive models and real-time monitoring for illnesses such as malaria or dengue.

This allows public health authorities to target vector control, position medical supplies, and plan vaccination or containment efforts more efficiently. The ID Work Group identifies and shares best practices for using Earth observations for decision-relevant disease monitoring.

But the potential of Earth observations is not yet fully realised in public health. Challenges include limited understanding of the linkages between environmental drivers and disease dynamics, challenges with data integration, lack of standardised methods, and insufficient training for health practitioners.

The ID Work Group convenes researchers, public health agencies, and data specialists to showcase operational tools, early warning systems, and data products. Refining these tools, systems, and products based on user feedback, this collaborative approach ensures services are relevant to national and local decision-making.

The ID Work Group is now developing a web hub to catalogue data used in infectious disease modelling and clarify which sources best support forecasting for climate-sensitive pathogens.

Priorities include improving global health risk maps, strengthening disease risk modelling, and promoting open, shared resources for effective interagency and institutional collaboration.

To learn more or get involved, read the white paper or get in touch with the GEO Health CoP Infectious Diseases Work Group.