Enhance surveillance and reporting systems for early detection of infectious disease outbreaks.
Pandemics
Pandemics Risk
Current assessment
Today's pandemic risk is moderate due to ongoing outbreaks of avian flu, MERS, and a significant parasitic outbreak in the US, alongside challenges in vaccine policy and public trust.
July 2, 2026
Trend
Daily score history for Pandemics.
Risk Drivers
What is pushing the current reading.
The current global health landscape is marked by several concurrent infectious disease threats, including avian flu outbreaks in various regions, a notable increase in MERS cases in the Middle East, and a widespread parasitic outbreak in the US causing significant illness. These are compounded by systemic issues such as vaccine hesitancy and policy disagreements, which undermine public health responses. While advancements in vaccine technology and AI offer hope for improved future responses, the immediate threat is elevated by these active outbreaks and the potential for misinformation to hinder effective public health measures.
Risk Reduction Actions
Priority actions generated from the current analysis.
Increase public awareness and education on the importance of vaccinations and preventive measures.
Support research and development of new vaccines and treatments, particularly for emerging pathogens.
Strengthen international collaboration to manage cross-border disease threats effectively.
Promote accurate information and counter misinformation regarding infectious diseases and vaccines.
Sources Monitored
Visible feeds used in this category's nightly run.
Selected Articles
Supporting articles referenced in the latest score.
- Pandemic pathogens, dengue, cholera were world’s largest emerging infectious disease burdens from 2000 to 2022 Publisher: CIDRAP COVID‑19 Published June 24, 2026
- H9N2 avian flu case in China and first H5N1 detection in Australian birds Publisher: CIDRAP Avian Influenza Published June 23, 2026
- Saudi Arabia confirms 9 MERS cases, including hospital cluster Publisher: CIDRAP MERS‑CoV Published May 13, 2025
- CDC Investigates Parasite Outbreak Causing 'Explosive Diarrhea' Across the U.S. Publisher: Yahoo Published July 1, 2026
- CDC seeks source of parasitic outbreak linked to ‘explosive’ diarrhea in multiple states Publisher: The Hill Published July 1, 2026