Increase funding for public health surveillance systems to improve accuracy in reporting infectious disease cases and deaths.
Pandemics
Pandemics Risk
Assessment for this date
Current infectious disease outbreaks, including measles and meningitis, alongside underreported COVID-19 deaths and avian flu spread, indicate a moderate pandemic risk.
March 20, 2026
Trend
Viewing the record for March 20, 2026 within the full trend.
Risk Drivers
What is pushing the current reading.
The ongoing spread of measles and meningitis in the US and UK, respectively, highlights vulnerabilities in vaccination coverage and public health response. The underreporting of COVID-19 deaths suggests surveillance gaps that could hinder effective pandemic management. Additionally, the spread of avian flu in both human and animal populations raises concerns about potential zoonotic transmission. These factors, combined with misinformation and vaccine hesitancy, contribute to a heightened risk of infectious disease outbreaks escalating into larger public health emergencies.
Risk Reduction Actions
Priority actions generated from the current analysis.
Enhance vaccination campaigns to address gaps in coverage, particularly for measles and meningitis, to prevent further outbreaks.
Launch educational initiatives to combat misinformation about vaccines and promote public trust in immunization programs.
Accelerate development and deployment of vaccines for emerging infectious diseases, including avian flu and MERS.
Strengthen global collaboration on pandemic preparedness and response, focusing on early detection and rapid containment of outbreaks.
Sources Monitored
Visible feeds used in this category's nightly run.
Selected Articles
Supporting articles referenced in the latest score.
- Early official COVID death tolls may have undercounted by 19%
- US flu activity still high, with 8 more pediatric deaths
- Cambodia confirms its first human case of H5N1 avian flu this year
- South Carolina’s measles outbreak hits 700 cases as CDC confirms 416 so far in 2026
- Deadly meningitis is spreading in the UK. Could an outbreak happen in the US? Publisher: Yahoo