A distributed multi-level system for the monitoring and simulation of epidemics

Abstract

Crisis management is a very complicated process. Computer support makes this process more effective and improves its quality. In this paper an approach to modelling, simulation and forecasting the effects of hazards in crisis situations is presented. The classification of hazards is proposed - it has the form of formally defining a threat's catalogue. In this case the attention is focused on the mathematical model of the security of urban agglomeration. The proposed models and methods are the bases for the distributed decision support system. Last season's flu virus infected so many people in Poland that the problem of lack of hospital beds appeared. In 2009, several parts of that system - monitoring, early warning and forecasting risks of the influenza virus - were put into practice in the Government Safety Centre. Now, the system named SARNA has over 600 institutional users on the levels of poviat (district) - voivodship and (province) - country. © 2010 WIT Press.