Open AccessInfectious diseases surveillance activities in the North of Portugal, during the EURO 2004 football tournament
Author(s) -
Guilherme Gonçalves,
L Castro,
A M Correia,
Laurinda Queirós
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
euro surveillance/eurosurveillance
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.766
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1560-7917
pISSN - 1025-496X
DOI - 10.2807/esm.10.04.00532-en
Subject(s) - football , outbreak , tournament , communicable disease , public health , geography , disease surveillance , environmental health , population , medicine , political science , virology , pathology , mathematics , archaeology , combinatorics
A European football tournament (EURO 2004) took place in Portugal, from the 12 June to the 4 July 2004. Portugal’s Northern Regional Health Authority serves a population of 3.2 million people. This region hosted 12 matches, more than any other region. We describe the communicable disease surveillance activities in the region, during EURO 2004. Ten foodborne outbreaks, seven cases of meningococcal disease and one case of legionnaires’ disease, were detected. Visitors were not affected, furthermore, cases among residents seemed not to be influenced by the presence of thousands of visitors. A similar pattern has been observed at other mass gatherings where special surveillance activities were implemented. This does not reduce the importance of public health surveillance during such mass gatherings. Furthermore, evaluation of this special activities should be an opportunity to put, issues of communicable disease surveillance resources, priorities, organisation and training back on the agenda.