Sarawak is the largest state in the megadiverse country of Malaysia. Its rich biodiversity is threatened by land-use change and hunting, with mammalian carnivores particularly affected. Data on the ecology, occurrence and distribution of small carnivores are crucial to inform their effective conservation, but no large-scale assessments have previously been conducted in Sarawak. Here we examine the status of the five species of felids in Sarawak based on data from camera-trap studies over 17 years (May 2003–February 2021) across 31 study areas, including protected areas of various sizes, production forests and forest matrix within oil palm plantations. Felids were detected at 39% of 845 camera stations. The marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata and Sunda clouded leopard Neofelis diardi had higher probabilities of occurrence in protected than unprotected areas, and vice versa for the leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis and bay cat Catopuma badia. The marbled and bay cats were mostly diurnal, and the leopard cat was predominantly nocturnal; activity patterns did not substantively differ between protected and unprotected sites. The probabilities of occurrence of marbled and bay cats increased with greater distance from roads. The leopard cat and flat-headed cat Prionailurus planiceps were more likely, and the clouded leopard less likely, to occur near rivers. Flat-headed cats preferred peat swamp forest, bay cats lowland forest, and marbled cats and clouded leopards occurred in both lowland and montane forest. Felids may tolerate higher elevations to avoid anthropogenic disturbance; therefore, it is critical to preserve lowland and mid-elevation habitats that provide refugia from climate change and the destruction of lowland habitat.

All disasters are local but implementing a hyperlocal response in the midst of a public health emergency is challenging. The availability of neighborhood-level qualitative data that are both timely and relevant to evolving objectives and operations is a limiting factor. In 2020, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) responded to the COVID-19 emergency using a novel, hyperlocal approach. Key to the implementation of this approach was the creation of the Community Assessment to Inform Rapid Response (CAIRR), a process for rapid collection and analysis of neighborhood-specific, objective-focused, qualitative data to inform tailored response operations. This paper describes the process of developing the CAIRR and its contribution to the NYC DOHMH’s hyperlocal response in order to guide other jurisdictions seeking to employ a hyperlocal approach in future disaster responses.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are one of the important players during a pandemic, including the Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia (IMAM) Response and Relief Team (IMARET). During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, IMARET played a key role in assisting health relief efforts in Malaysia. We are sharing this experience as a medical NGO’s response to the pandemic. This report presents data from the March 18 to June 10, 2020, retrieved from IMARET’s database with approval from the Executive Committee and the IMARET COVID-19 Task Force. We report that IMARET’s task force consists of 30 people, mostly medical doctors. Supplies distributed included personal protective equipment with other medical equipment, such as portable ultrasounds and ventilators. IMARET engaged with 33 collaborators and 92 partners and funders. There were 135 volunteers with the majority being medical volunteers. IMARET raised more than RM $3 million (US $740 000) garnering support from over 40 000 donors in 85 days. In conclusion, NGOs play a significant role that effectively enhance and complement the consolidated works by the authorities and public in the effort to overcome COVID-19 challenges.

Recent technological advances has led to the generation, storage, and sharing of colossal sets of information (‘big data’), and the expansion of ‘omics’ in science. To date, genomics/metagenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics are arguably the most ground breaking approaches in food and public safety. Here we review some of the recent studies of foodborne pathogens (Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., and Escherichia coli) in poultry using big data. Genomic/metagenomic approaches have reveal the importance of the gut microbiota in health and disease. They have also been used to identify, monitor, and understand the epidemiology of antibiotic-resistance mechanisms and provide concrete evidence about the role of poultry in human infections. Transcriptomics studies have increased our understanding of the pathophysiology and immunopathology of foodborne pathogens in poultry and have led to the identification of host-resistance mechanisms. Proteomic/metabolomic approaches have aided in identifying biomarkers and the rapid detection of low levels of foodborne pathogens. Overall, ‘omics' approaches complement each other and may provide, at least in part, a solution to our current food-safety issues by facilitating the development of new rapid diagnostics, therapeutic drugs, and vaccines to control foodborne pathogens in poultry. However, at this time most ‘omics' approaches still remain underutilized due to their high cost and the high level of technical skills required.