Global Biosurveillance Ready

The Alert and Response Operations Section is a crucial component of the Integrated Biosurveillance Branch. This section tracks and reports on infectious diseases and other health events of military interest worldwide, including COVID-19, mpox, novel influenza, and outbreaks of undiagnosed illnesses.

Available Products

ARO's flagship product is the weekly AFHSD Health Surveillance Update. The AHSU highlights current public health threats by geographic combatant command and covers over 450 unique diseases, vectors, and pathogens that could impact military readiness and health.

ARO provides more detailed information on outbreaks of particular military interest through disease-specific surveillance summaries (e.g., Ebola, COVID-19), situation reports (e.g. earthquakes in Turkey and Syria), ad hoc executive summaries, and spot reports.

Top Ten Events Reported for 2023

1. COVID-19
2. Dengue
3. Novel influenza
4. Mpox
5. Seasonal influenza
6. Malaria
7. Cholera
8. Marburg virus disease
9. Drug-resistant organisms
10. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

Connect on Real-time Health Threats

As a direct connection to the Geographic Combatant Commands and Force Health Protection leadership, ARO provides access to near real-time data and information on militarily relevant health threats. In 2023, ARO responded to requests for information on a wide range of topics including surveillance of current events, such as health threats in Haiti and chikungunya burden in DOD priority countries, as well as background information on disease and non-battle injuries related to Typhoon Mawar and human infections associated with marine exposures.

Access Information Quickly

The Health Surveillance Explorer offers access to a variety of health surveillance products and information from IB, AFHSD’s Global Emerging Infections Surveillance Branch, and other sources such as the National Center for Medical Intelligence, CDC, and WHO.