SINGAPORE – An artificial intelligence-powered outbreak intelligence tool that promises to boost Asia’s ability to detect and respond to emerging threats was unveiled to the public on Dec 1.

By integrating and analysing pathogen genetic data and other data sources such as clinical information, mobility patterns of humans and animals, and climate data, the platform could detect emerging disease threats earlier than traditional surveillance methods.

Known as PathGen, it is being developed by the Duke-NUS Centre for Outbreak Preparedness, with support from Temasek Foundation, the Gates Foundation, and the Philanthropy Asia Alliance.

PathGen will be co-created in six South-east Asian countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore, said Mr Ng Boon Heong, executive director and chief executive officer of Temasek Foundation, during the preview held at Temasek Shophouse.

The platform is expected to progress from proof-of-concept to a launch-ready platform over the next 18 months, with pilots from early 2026 and a phased roll-out through 2027.

Speaking at the PathGen preview, Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung said there is a one-in-three chance of another pandemic like Covid-19 occurring in the next two decades, even as memories of the pandemic have started to fade and governments have shifted priorities.

Singapore must continue to prepare for the next pandemic and be able to anticipate and work on problems before they explode, said Mr Ong, who is also Coordinating Minister for Social Policies.

Pandemic preparedness boils down to taking early action to anticipate and plan how to keep the infection, severity, and fatality rates low during a pandemic, he added.

Over the past few years, Singapore has undertaken many pandemic preparedness initiatives in anticipation of these challenges and has built a valuable partnership with the private sector in this aspect.

PathGen could estimate incubation periods, reproduction numbers, mobility rates, transmission mode...