Enhance surveillance and rapid response mechanisms for emerging infectious diseases.
Pandemics
Pandemics Risk
Current assessment
Today's pandemic risk is high due to multiple infectious disease outbreaks, including a significant cyclosporiasis outbreak across the US, ongoing avian flu cases, and emerging MERS cases in the Middle East.
July 15, 2026
Trend
Daily score history for Pandemics.
Risk Drivers
What is pushing the current reading.
The current global health landscape is marked by multiple concurrent outbreaks, including a large cyclosporiasis outbreak affecting over 30 US states, which poses significant public health challenges due to its widespread nature and the difficulty in identifying the contamination source. Additionally, the persistence of avian flu in various regions, including new detections in the US and China, highlights the ongoing threat of zoonotic diseases. The resurgence of MERS in the Middle East further complicates the global infectious disease scenario, indicating potential for cross-border transmission. These factors, combined with the potential for misinformation and gaps in surveillance, elevate the overall pandemic risk.
Risk Reduction Actions
Priority actions generated from the current analysis.
Increase public awareness and education on preventive measures for foodborne and zoonotic diseases.
Accelerate research on vaccine development for emerging pathogens, including MERS and avian flu.
Strengthen international collaboration to monitor and control cross-border disease spread.
Provide accurate and timely information to counter misinformation about infectious disease outbreaks.
Sources Monitored
Visible feeds used in this category's nightly run.
Selected Articles
Supporting articles referenced in the latest score.
- WHO reports H5N1 death among variant zoonotic flu cases seen this year Publisher: CIDRAP Avian Influenza Published April 29, 2026
- Saudi Arabia confirms 9 MERS cases, including hospital cluster Publisher: CIDRAP MERS‑CoV Published May 13, 2025
- WHO reports new MERS case in Saudi Arabia Publisher: CIDRAP MERS‑CoV Published October 2, 2024
- Massive cyclospora outbreak sickens thousands as CDC searches for source Publisher: FOX 5 DC Published July 15, 2026
- Michigan health officials say cyclosporiasis outbreak could be largest in U.S. history Publisher: CBS News Published July 14, 2026