The January issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) focuses on Travel-related Infections. One of the historical reviews, Venetian Rule and Control of Plague Epidemics on the Ionian Islands during 17th and 18th Centuries, describes the efforts taken by the Venetian Administration to fight the spread of plague on the Ionian islands in the 17th and 18th centuries. The authors state that “prevention was based on widespread use of an information network of daily reports of Venetian consuls in Mediterranean areas to Venetian authorities, detailed interrogation of sailors who arrived in Venetian ports, effective control of all local movements in plague-infested areas, and activation of the cordoni di sanità.” It sounds like the Venetian administration contained plague effectively using its information system.

By the way, the cover art of the EID issues are beautiful. Please take a look at some of them here.