Considerations for strengthening international information sharing for tracing and managing infectious disease cases and contact persons: Interim Guidance

Overview

This document aims to provide key considerations for countries when sharing information for tracing and managing infectious disease cases and contact persons who have travelled across international borders. Appropriate management of cases and contact persons is a critical public health measure for certain infectious diseases, especially for high-threat pathogens, and emerging diseases. When a case or contact person travels from one country to another, rapid sharing of information is needed for effective case management and contract tracing. The needs for contact tracing may depend on risk assessment, informed by the characteristics of the pathogen, nature of exposure, evolving epidemiological situation, country context and priority, and resource availability. Information sharing on cases and contact persons who travel internationally is usually conducted between the National International Health Regulations (IHR)(2005) Focal Points (IHR NFPs) of respective countries.  Confidentiality and privacy of health information and/or personal details of an identifiable individual must be protected throughout the process of information sharing of cases and contact persons. Political, social and ethical implication of sharing individual information should also be considered. Procedures of information sharing should be adapted to different scenarios whether a case or a contact person had travelled internationally, and whether the country of departure or destination had detected the case or contact person.