NATION IN BRIEF : GEORGIA : Telephones to Track Respiratory Viruses

The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta announced a program to help doctors hear about outbreaks of potentially fatal respiratory viruses sooner. The CDC will use a telephone monitoring system to track cases of respiratory syncytial (RSV) and parainfluenza viruses--which cause a variety of often serious respiratory ailments, especially in young children. Previously, health officials had alerted the CDC of outbreaks by weekly postcards. CDC officials said they will help doctors and public health officials learn of outbreaks sooner, thus cutting down on diagnostic testing of ill children.