Blog / Charalampos (Haris) Kontoes / February 10, 2022
The EarlY WArning System for Mosquito-borne Diseases (EYWA) with its coordinating partner, the BEYOND Centre of EO Research and Satellite Remote Sensing of the National Observatory of Athens, is the winner of the €5 million European Innovation Council- Horizon Prize for 'Early Warning for Epidemics
EYWA was developed in the context of the EuroGEO Action Group "Earth Observation for Epidemics of Vector-borne Diseases - EO4EViDence" and represents a game changer in the field of epidemics. It translates scientific knowledge into decision-making and makes an important contribution to combating and controlling the threat of mosquito-borne diseases.
The solution enhances mosquito surveillance and control at various spatio-temporal scales and in different climatic zones, and guides day to day prevention and mitigation actions. It significantly reduces entomological risk and results in the aversion of human cases in thousands of villages where EYWA is deployed.
The technological novelty of EYWA lies in the efficient processing of multiple Earth observation data sources, such as entomological, epidemiological, and crowd-sourced data, together with dynamic and data driven models to generate knowledge about mosquito abundance and pathogen transmission. Thanks to data provided by Copernicus satellites and Copernicus Core Services, EYWA reliably depicts the dynamics of mosquito habitats and breeding sites. The system capitalizes on European investments in Earth observation and cloud-based data repositories and capacities (i.e. DIAS, GEOSS, NextGEOSS).
EYWA was recently added to the e-shape community as a pilot project to expand the database of entomological data from non-European territories and evolve the suite of predictive models to include non-European areas where climaticconditions are very different from those in Europe.
This achievement is a significant milestone and an exceptional example of the unlimited possibilities of Earth observation and the societal benefits that can result from the use of space technology.
EYWA partners
Useful links:
Contact us:
Haris Kontoes
Coordinator of EuroGEO Action Group for Epidemics & Lead Partner of EYWA
kontoes@noa.gr
+302103490012 | +306932208817
Mirka Rossi
Communications Coordinator of EYWA
mrossi@noa.gr
+302103490125 | +306937138133
Charalampos (Haris) Kontoes is Research Director of the National Observatory of Athens (NOA), Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics Space Applications and Remote Sensing (IAASARS) and leader of BEYOND. He holds a PhD in EO (JRC/ISPRA). His research focuses on DRR, sustainable development, agriculture, energy and big data. He leads a team with active participation in Space related funding (ESA, EC, and IFIs e.g. WB, EIB). He acts as National Delegate in Space Policy and Program Committees. He is responsible for the Sentinel Greek Hubs, the Hellenic Mirror Site, and the NOA’s GS disseminating Copernicus data worldwide. He is the author of >200 publications. Member of the editorial Board of EO journals. He speaks English, French and Italian.
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