Abstract
Positive laboratory test results are required to confirm over 80% of communicable diseases and they are often the first indication of a disease. The space-time permutation scan statistic only requires disease counts, event date and disease location, which are available from an electronic laboratory reporting system for early detection of potential disease outbreaks. The timeliness in identifying clusters from data submitted by clinical laboratories to the NY statewide electronic laboratory reporting system was earlier than using the traditional method for selected communicable diseases.