Flu Near You is an online health reporting system that maps users with flu-like symptoms. In light of emerging health threats in the United States–including mosquito-borne diseases like the Zika virus–Flu Near You is adding additional symptoms for volunteers to report on. These symptoms include rash, eye pain, red eyes, joint pain, yellow skin/ eyes, and dark urine. These additional symptoms will allow researchers and public health authorities to identify potential outbreaks of disease like Zika, Chikungunya, and Dengue fever. This change will only be reflected on the website and not the mobile app, as they pilot the new features to supplement surveillance efforts.
To help local health departments and other partners who are looking to use and promote Flu Near You in their communities, NACCHO created Flu Near You: A Guide to Engaging in Participatory Disease Surveillance. It contains general resources about participatory disease surveillance systems, information about Flu Near You, resources for integrating Flu Near You into existing programmatic efforts, and materials to use for promoting the tool.
