Increase funding for public health agencies to enhance surveillance and rapid response capabilities.
Pandemics
Current reading
Moderate Risk
History
411 daily observations
Method
Curated sources and AI scoring
Pandemics Risk
3.7 / 5
Moderate Risk
-0.1 from previous reading
Current assessment
Today's pandemic risk is moderate due to ongoing outbreaks of COVID-19, avian flu, MERS, and cyclospora, coupled with challenges in vaccine deployment and misinformation.
Latest run
July 24, 2026
Trend
Daily score history for Pandemics.
Risk Drivers
What is pushing the current reading.
The current landscape of infectious diseases presents a moderate risk, with multiple outbreaks occurring globally, including COVID-19, avian flu, MERS, and cyclospora. While COVID-19 related healthcare costs have decreased, the persistence of long COVID symptoms and the spread of misinformation continue to pose challenges. The avian flu is affecting both human and animal populations, with new cases reported in various regions. MERS cases are also being reported, particularly in the Middle East. Additionally, the cyclospora outbreak in the US highlights the need for improved food safety measures. Vaccine deployment is progressing, but there are still gaps in coverage and public trust, exacerbated by misinformation. Surveillance and rapid response mechanisms are crucial to mitigate these risks.
Risk Reduction Actions
Priority actions generated from the current analysis.
Educate the public on the importance of vaccinations and address vaccine hesitancy through transparent communication.
Collaborate with local communities to improve food safety practices and prevent outbreaks like cyclospora.
Continue developing and testing vaccines for emerging infectious diseases, including avian flu and MERS.
Combat misinformation by providing accurate and timely information about infectious diseases and vaccination benefits.
Sources Monitored
Visible feeds used in this category's nightly run.
Selected Articles
Supporting articles referenced in the latest score.
- The Eaton wildfire evacuation shelter near LA saw outbreaks of norovirus, COVID, and flu, report reveals Publisher: CIDRAP COVID‑19 Published July 10, 2026
- Cambodia confirms human H5N1 avian flu case as H5N1 hits more Utah egg farms Publisher: CIDRAP Avian Influenza Published July 16, 2026
- Saudi Arabia confirms 9 MERS cases, including hospital cluster Publisher: CIDRAP MERS‑CoV Published May 13, 2025
- WHO reports 4 more MERS cases from Saudi Arabia Publisher: CIDRAP MERS‑CoV Published February 19, 2024
- Outbreak of infections from Cyclospora parasite reaches 41 states Publisher: foodsafetynews.com Published July 24, 2026
- FDA investigating second Cyclospora outbreak as experts say this year's case count is unusually high Publisher: WUSA9 Published July 23, 2026