How AI is helping this N.J. county track everything from rodents to the flu

NJ.com • January 19, 2026 • health

Key Points:

Essex County's Office of Public Health Management, led by Maya Harlow, has adopted geospatial AI and machine learning technology from Esri to proactively address public health issues such as COVID-19, lead exposure, flu outbreaks, and rodent complaints.
The technology enables the county to map and analyze data, allowing targeted interventions like sending nurses to high-risk lead exposure areas, scheduling flu clinics at train stations, and increasing rodent inspections in problematic zones, resulting in improved resource deployment and cost savings.
Using historical data, officials identified peak times and locations for emergency calls to optimize volunteer recruitment and response efforts.
The Esri platform, costing about $200,000 to onboard and $30,000 annually for maintenance, was funded by a