Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Labratory Website News Feature

ESSENCE® Helps Keep Global Sporting Events Safe

As millions of fans gather for one of the world’s largest sporting events, ESSENCE® is helping public health officials focus on what matters most—protecting people.

Developed by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) and operated in collaboration with the CDC, the Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-based Epidemics (ESSENCE) is supporting enhanced public health surveillance throughout the tournament. By continuously analyzing emergency department data, laboratory reports, news feeds, and other health indicators, ESSENCE helps identify emerging health threats early, enabling faster, informed decision-making.

For more than 25 years, ESSENCE has supported local, state, federal, and international public health organizations during major events and everyday operations alike. The platform continues to evolve with advanced analytics and AI-enabled capabilities while maintaining the reliability that public health professionals depend on.

This latest deployment demonstrates how ESSENCE continues to protect communities—not only during global events, but every day through early detection and situational awareness.

Read the full Johns Hopkins APL story: https://www.jhuapl.edu/news/news-releases/260708-essence-soccer