Increase funding for public health infrastructure to improve outbreak response capabilities.
Pandemics
Pandemics Risk
Current assessment
Current infectious disease outbreaks, including measles and Ebola, pose a significant global health threat, exacerbated by vaccine hesitancy and misinformation.
August 26, 2026
Trend
Daily score history for Pandemics.
Risk Drivers
What is pushing the current reading.
The resurgence of measles in the US, with fatalities reported, highlights the ongoing threat of vaccine-preventable diseases, particularly in the context of vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. Concurrently, the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo is escalating, with a high death toll and inadequate response efforts. These events underscore the critical need for robust public health infrastructure and effective communication strategies to combat misinformation and improve vaccination rates. The presence of multiple infectious disease outbreaks globally, including avian flu and MERS, further complicates the public health landscape, necessitating coordinated international efforts to enhance surveillance and response capabilities.
Risk Reduction Actions
Priority actions generated from the current analysis.
Enhance community outreach and education efforts to address vaccine hesitancy and misinformation.
Coordinate global surveillance and response strategies for emerging infectious diseases.
Support vaccination campaigns in regions with low coverage to prevent the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases.
Disseminate accurate information about vaccines and infectious diseases to counter misinformation.
Sources Monitored
Visible feeds used in this category's nightly run.
Selected Articles
Supporting articles referenced in the latest score.
- Quick takes: Ebola deaths top 1,000, measles outbreak in Delaware, H9N2 avian flu in China Publisher: CIDRAP Avian Influenza Published July 23, 2026
- Saudi Arabia confirms 9 MERS cases, including hospital cluster Publisher: CIDRAP MERS‑CoV Published May 13, 2025
- Ebola outbreak now deadliest ever in DR Congo as death rate reaches 46% Publisher: CIDRAP Ebola Published August 17, 2026
- Pennsylvania reports first US measles deaths this year as outbreak grows Publisher: Reuters Published August 25, 2026
- DR Congo suffers deadliest week in its Ebola outbreak Publisher: CIDRAP Published August 25, 2026