INFECTIOUS diseases are emerging at an increasingly rapid rate and Australia is close to the "hot spots" for an outbreak.

Consortium for Conservation Medicine executive director Dr Peter Daszak said the "hottest of the hot spots" - with incredibly low disease surveillance - extended through Australia's northern neighbours.

Prof John Edwards of the Australian Biosecurity Co-operative Research Centre said fortifying the country against disease threats was not enough.

"We have to look to identify the disease threats offshore, where the diseases might come from," he said.

Prof Edwards announced the creation of the Biosecurity Risk Intelligence Scanning Committee to gather information on the issue.