Will the WHO Declare a New Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in 2026?
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Will the WHO Declare a New Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in 2026?
Will the WHO Declare a New Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in 2026?
Will the WHO Declare a New Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in 2026?
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Resolution Criteria
This market resolves to Yes if the World Health Organization declares a new “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” (PHEIC) on or before December 31, 2026.
A PHEIC is a formal declaration by the WHO Director-General, under the International Health Regulations, that an extraordinary public health event is occurring which risks international spread and requires a coordinated global response. For this market, we specifically require a new PHEIC declaration in the timeframe – meaning an emergency that is declared between 2024 and 2026. (Ongoing PHEICs that were declared prior to 2024, such as the existing one on polio, do not count as “new.”)
Examples that would count include the WHO DG publicly declaring an outbreak (e.g. a novel influenza strain, a viral hemorrhagic fever outbreak, etc.) as a PHEIC during 2024, 2025, or 2026. The declaration is typically made after an Emergency Committee meeting and announced via WHO press release. If at least one such declaration is made by the end of 2026, the market resolves Yes. If no new PHEIC is declared in that period, it resolves No.
It doesn’t matter which disease or how many PHEICs – one is enough for “Yes.” If a PHEIC declared in 2026 is later rescinded, it still counts (the focus is on it being declared). We exclude mere extensions of pre-existing PHEICs; it must be a new emergency not already under a PHEIC status before 2024.
News
WHO Warns DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Is Outpacing Global Response as Cases and Deaths Surge
The WHO warns the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the third-largest on record and is expanding faster than any previous outbreak, with 2,273 cases and 796 deaths as of July 16, 2026, driven by widespread transmission in Ituri and a large share of new infections undetected outside known contact lists.
Gulf News ReportEbola Outbreak 2026: WHO Chief Warns 'Outpacing Us' as Deaths Hit 220 - What You Need to Know (2026)
The Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, centered in the DRC and now spreading to Uganda, has claimed over 220 lives, with the Bundibugyo strain lacking a vaccine or treatment, rapid transmission outpacing health workers, rising distrust and violence hindering response, cross-border exposure via a Congolese patient, and calls for an urgent, coordinated international effort to bolster resources and preparedness.
Ebola spreading more quickly in DRC, while Uganda is close to being virus-free | Ebola News | Al Jazeera
Ebola is spreading faster in DR Congo than in any previous outbreak, with over 2,000 confirmed cases and 377 deaths in the current outbreak (the 17th, begun May 15), while Uganda is near Ebola-free after discharging its last patient and starting a 42-day countdown to be declared free, with no new cases since June 22.
Al Jazeera StaffEbola spreading in DRC 'faster than any previous outbreak': WHO | Daily Tribune
The WHO says the Democratic Republic of Congo’s current Ebola outbreak is spreading faster than any previous outbreak, with over 2,000 cases and 796 deaths across five provinces (mainly Ituri, near Uganda), while response capacity has expanded but transmission continues to outpace control amid armed conflict and a lack of approved vaccines for the Bundibugyo strain.
Daily TribuneUS quarantine order for Americans returning from Congo will hurt Ebola response, aid group says | The Straits Times
The Straits Times reports that a new U.S. policy requiring Americans returning from Congo to spend 21 days in a third country before entering the United States will hinder Ebola response efforts by complicating recruitment and deployment of American healthcare workers, according to Samaritan’s Purse and other officials, as Congo experiences a severe Ebola outbreak with over 2,000 cases and hundreds of deaths.
WHO warns DR Congo Ebola outbreak is outpacing response as Uganda reaches milestone | UN News
The WHO warns that the DRC Ebola outbreak is the third-largest on record and spreading faster than any previous one in its first two months, with 2,273 cases and 796 deaths, major transmission in Ituri, over 80% of new infections detected outside known contact lists, significant but uneven gains in treatment capacity and lab work, ongoing conflict hampering response, Uganda reaching a post-outbreak milestone with 20 cases and 2 deaths, and a funding gap of over $400 million threatening containment efforts.
© WHO/Josua Mulala RaymondUS quarantine order for Americans returning from Congo will hurt Ebola response, aid group says | The Star
The U.S. has implemented a new policy requiring Americans returning from Congo with Ebola exposure to spend 21 days in a third country before entering the United States, a move that Samaritan’s Purse warns will hinder staff recruitment and frontline care in Congo’s Ebola response, while the outbreak continues to unfold with over 2,000 cases and 796 deaths to date.
WHO presses Uganda for update on cases of deadly Marburg virus
The WHO says Uganda has not provided updates on its Marburg outbreak investigation, despite repeated requests under the International Health Regulations, as cases emerge in Uganda and neighboring DRC amid ongoing Ebola and Marburg challenges and community reticence to seek care.
Helen BranswellEbola Outbreak Alert: Could This Be the Largest on Record? | Latest Updates & WHO Response (2026)
The article reports an Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda (about 500 confirmed cases, 84 deaths), notes the Bundibugyo strain with no approved vaccines or treatments, highlights rapid cross-border spread and WHO/African CDC planning ($518 million) for surveillance and containment, and emphasizes social stigma, funding gaps, and the urgent need for proactive global preparedness.
Ebola 'spreading faster than any previous outbreak' in DR Congo, WHO warns - France 24
The WHO warned that the Democratic Republic of Congo’s 17th Ebola outbreak is spreading faster than any previous outbreak, with over 2,000 confirmed cases and 796 deaths in two months, caused by the Bundibugyo strain which has no approved vaccine or treatment, and is being hampered by conflict, missed transmission chains, and attacks on treatment centers.