The ODIN Consortium has published a policy paper in Open Access Government titled “Environmental surveillance as a sentinel for emerging outbreaks: Lessons from mpox in Africa.” Drawing on experience from the ODIN and ODIN_Mpox projects, the paper highlights how environmental surveillance can serve as an early warning system for infectious disease outbreaks, particularly in regions with limited healthcare access or fragmented data systems.

The ODIN-Mpox initiative, supported by Horizon Europe and Global Health EDCTP3, demonstrates this approach in practice across the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Burkina Faso. Through mobile laboratories, portable genetic testing, and training for over 50 African scientists, the project strengthens local capacity for real-time detection and response. The paper urges governments to invest in and integrate environmental surveillance into routine outbreak monitoring, ensuring faster, more coordinated responses to emerging public health threats.

Click here to read the full paper: “Environmental surveillance as a sentinel for emerging outbreaks: Lessons from mpox in Africa.”