This pilot project has shown that it is possible to adapt
systems for the detection and response to infectious disease
outbreaks for the purposes of detecting and responding to
chemical events. Indeed, a system for detecting chemicals can
complement systems for detecting infectious diseases, particularly
where the cause of an outbreak of illness is not immediately
apparent. As with the global surveillance system for
communicable diseases of potential international importance,
the majority of chemical incidents in this instance were identified
from unofficial sources (10).