Supported by the generous donation from the S.H. Ho Foundation, the S.H. Ho Research Centre for Infectious Diseases of the Chinese University of Hong Kong has launched the E-community surveillance system “EcSS+” in 2025, functioning as a community hub for monitoring respiratory infections in the post-COVID era. Based on a participatory design, EcSS+ has received support from more than 2000 domestic households who provide regular inputs to the system. Through regular structured surveys, EcSS+ members are asked to report communal activities leading to possible exposure to respiratory pathogens. Upon the presentation of influenza-like symptoms, they are also invited to undergo rapid testing, the results of which shall reflect the respiratory infection burden in the community. Periodically, the collected data are analysed to assess the community risk of respiratory infections and its seasonal variations. To promote bidirectional engagement and information sharing, the disease trend are also disseminated back to the community members through interactive dashboards. Accordingly, tips on disease prevention are also generated to enhance vigilance of the general public against respiratory infection outbreaks. Harnessing the power of community, EcSS+ serves to alert the population of the ongoing respiratory disease threats and provide policymakers with evidence-based insights into the development of prevention and control strategy against respiratory infection outbreaks.
