WHO - List of emergencies The health emergencies list below details the disease outbreaks, environmental disasters and other humanitarian crises in which WHO has played or is still playing an essential role in protecting health
Coronavirus - World Health Organization (WHO) Framework and toolkit for infection prevention and control outbreak preparedness, readiness and response As observed in recent large-scale outbreaks, health facilities (HFs) with limited or no infection prevention and control (IPC) capacities can amplify emerging
Outbreak Toolkit - World Health Organization (WHO) The Outbreak Toolkit is specifically designed for epidemiologists and field investigators operating at the frontline of complex emergencies and in resource-limited settings It provides a comprehensive, up-to-date toolkit for investigating both infectious disease outbreaks and non-infectious events and hazards By offering standardized tools, the Toolkit addresses the critical need for data
Stages of an outbreak investigation - World Health Organization (WHO) When a disease outbreak occurs, responding swiftly and effectively is critical to protect public health and minimize the spread of disease The following steps outline a systematic approach to investigating an outbreak, from confirming its existence to communicating findings for future preparedness Each step is designed to ensure that the outbreak is thoroughly understood, controlled, and
COVID-19 - Global Situation - World Health Organization (WHO) Since mid-February 2025, according to data available from sentinel sites, global SARS-CoV-2 activity has been increasing, with the test positivity rate reaching 11%, levels that have not been observed since July 2024 This rise is primarily observed in countries in the Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia, and Western Pacific regions Since early 2025, global SARS-CoV-2 variant trends have
Multi-country outbreak of cholera, epidemiological update #34 -21 . . . Overview In January 2026 (epidemiological weeks 1 to 4), a total of 16 912 new cholera and acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) cases were reported from 19 countries, territories, and areas across three WHO regions, showing a 6% decrease from December 2025 The African Region registered the highest number of cases, followed by the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and the South-East Asia Region This
Multi-country outbreak of mpox, External situation report #63 - 24 . . . This is the 63rd situation report for the multi-country outbreak of mpox, which provides details on the global epidemiological situation for mpox, including an update on the epidemiological situation with data on the global situation as of 31 January 2026, in Africa as of 15 February 2026 and the operational response updates as of 18 February 2026
Seasonal influenza - Global situation Seasonal influenza (‘the flu’) is an acute respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses that circulate globally and year-round It can cause illness ranging from mild to severe, sometimes resulting in hospitalization or death Seasonal influenza activity has increased globally in recent months, with an increased proportion of seasonal influenza A(H3N2) viruses being detected This
Nipah virus disease - India - World Health Organization (WHO) Thomas B, Chandran P, Lilabi MP, George B, Sivakumar CP, Jayadev VK, et al Nipah virus infection in Kozhikode, Kerala, South India, in 2018: epidemiology of an outbreak of an emerging disease