The Question

Can anonymous mobile phone data provide clues to patterns of malaria movement and importation?

What we found

Mobile phone data can provide unique information on human movement which can supplement models of malaria endemnicity and transmission.  In Zanzibar, where malaria endemnicity has reached a low level, mobile phone data can help determine sources and rates of disease importation.

Why it matters

Disease intervention efforts can benefit from added information about population movement.