The WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, which will start operating later this year, is set to analyse data quickly and in detail, in order to predict, prevent, detect, prepare for and respond to risks worldwide.
The hub will try to get ahead of the game, looking for pre-signals that go far beyond current systems that monitor publicly available information for signs of emerging outbreaks.
"The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed gaps in the global systems for pandemic and epidemic intelligence," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told journalists.
"There will be more viruses that will emerge with the potential for sparking epidemics or pandemics.
"Viruses move fast. But data can move even faster. With the right information, countries and communities can stay one step ahead of an emerging risk and save lives."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Berlin was a good location for the hub as it already had leading players in the digital and health fields, such as the Robert Koch Institute.
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