ATLANTA — The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday that more than 1 million air travelers have participated in its bio-surveillance program at airports across the country, including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Through voluntary and anonymous sample collection from arriving international travelers, officials say the program gives public health officials early insight into emerging pathogens and variants before they can spread widely across the United States.

The program was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to play a key role in monitoring global health threats.