Enhance surveillance and reporting systems for flu, RSV, and measles to ensure timely public health responses.
Pandemics
Pandemics Risk
Assessment for this date
Today's pandemic risk is moderate due to rising flu, RSV, and measles cases, coupled with ongoing COVID-19 challenges and misinformation.
December 31, 2025
Trend
Viewing the record for December 31, 2025 within the full trend.
Risk Drivers
What is pushing the current reading.
The current global health landscape is marked by increasing flu and RSV activity in the US and Europe, a significant measles outbreak in South Carolina, and persistent COVID-19 impacts, including long COVID and vaccine hesitancy. Despite the availability of vaccines, COVID-19 remains deadlier than the flu in hospitalized patients, and misinformation continues to undermine public trust in health agencies. Surveillance gaps and the emergence of new pathogen variants, such as a SARS-CoV-2-like mutation in Brazilian bats, further complicate the situation. These factors collectively elevate the risk of infectious disease outbreaks, although effective vaccines and treatments are available to mitigate severe outcomes.
Risk Reduction Actions
Priority actions generated from the current analysis.
Increase efforts to educate the public on the importance of vaccinations and counter misinformation.
Accelerate the development and distribution of updated vaccines for COVID-19, flu, and RSV.
Conduct targeted vaccination campaigns in regions with low uptake to prevent outbreaks.
Provide accurate and clear information on the benefits and safety of vaccines to combat misinformation.
Sources Monitored
Visible feeds used in this category's nightly run.
Selected Articles
Supporting articles referenced in the latest score.
- Study finds that despite broad COVID vaccine availability, COVID still deadlier than flu in hospitalized patients
- Flu, RSV activity rising in US and Europe, with major UK surge in flu cases
- US measles outbreak tops 1,800 cases as respiratory illness surveillance returns
- Mpox transmission, US flu surveillance highlighted in first Public Health Alerts reports
- South Carolina Measles Outbreak Continues To Climb Publisher: Infectious Disease Special Edition