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Fourth meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the upsurge of mpox 2024 – Temporary recommendations The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), following the fourth meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR)   Emergency Committee regarding the upsurge of mpox 2024 , held on 5 June 2025, from 12:00 to 17:00 CEST, concurs with its advice that the event continues to meet the criteria of a public health emergency of international concern and, considering the advice of the Committee, he is hereby issuing a revised set of temporary recommendations. The WHO Director-General expresses his most sincere gratitude to the Chair, Members, and Advisors of the Committee. The proceeding of the fourth meeting of the Committee will be shared with States Parties to the IHR and published in the coming days. Temporary recommendations These temporary recommendations   are issued to  States Parties   experienci...

  Situation at a glance 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 slightly shifted. Circulation of LP.8.1 has been declining, and reporting of NB.1.8.1, a Variant Under Monitoring (VUM), is increasing , reaching 10.7% of global sequences reported as of mid-May.  Recent increases in SARS-CoV-2 activity are broadly consistent with levels observed during the same period last year, however, there still lacks a clear seasonality in SARS-CoV-2 circulation, and surveillance is limited.  Continued monitoring is essential . WHO advises all Member States to continue applying a risk-based, integrated approach to managing C...

{Summary} World Organisation for Animal Health (2025) . – The State of the World’s Animal Health 2025 . Paris, 124pp. https://doi.org/10.20506/woah.3586. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO. Foreword Animal health is inextricably linked to human  health , the stability of ecosystems and the strength of economies. In a world facing increasingly complex global challenges – emerging infectious diseases, climate change, antimicrobial resistance and food insecurity – ensuring the health of animals is crucial. This first iteration of The State of the World’s Animal Health report is a landmark publication released by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) for its 92nd General Session of the World Assembly, which reflects our commitment to evidence-based decision-making and data-driven action. Drawing  on WOAH’s comprehensive information systems and the collective expertise of its Members and expert network, this report offers a clear, objective and timely analysis of the global animal...

Abstract Since their first detection in 1996, highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses with H5 haemagglutinin of the A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996 (Gs/Gd) lineage have caused outbreaks in domestic and wild animals associated with mass morbidity and mortality , and economic losses as well as sporadic human infections . These viruses have spread to hosts across the European, Asian, African, and North and South American continents, and most recently Antarctica , representing a major threat to wildlife, domestic animals and humans . Owing to continuous circulation in poultry, Gs/Gd lineage viruses have diversified into numerous distinct genetic and antigenic (sub)clades , and genetic diversity has further increased by extensive reassortment with low pathogenic avian influenza viruses of wild birds. In this Review, we discuss the historical emergence of Gs/Gd lineage viruses and their evolution and geographical spread . An overview of the major determinants of host range and cross-species trans...

Agreement’s adoption follows three years of intensive negotiation launched due to gaps and inequities identified in national and global COVID-19 response. Agreement boosts global collaboration to ensure stronger , more equitable response to future pandemics. Next steps include negotiations on Pathogen Access and Benefits Sharing system. Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) today formally adopted by consensus the world's first Pandemic Agreement. The landmark decision by the 78th World Health Assembly culminates more than three years of intensive negotiations launched by governments in response to the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and driven by the goal of making the world safer from – and more equitable in response to – future pandemics. “The world is safer today thanks to the leadership , collaboration and commitment of our Member States to adopt the historic WHO Pandemic Agreement,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.  “The Ag...

  Key points -- Vaccination remains an important public health countermeasure against COVID-19 . As per the WHO Director General’s standing recommendations for COVID-19, Member States are recommended to continue to offer COVID-19 vaccination based on the recommendations of the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE). -- SARS-CoV-2 continues to undergo sustained evolution since its emergence in humans, with important genetic and antigenic changes in the spike protein. -- The objective of an update to COVID-19 vaccine antigen composition is to enhance vaccine-induced immune responses to circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. -- The WHO Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VAC) advises manufacturers that monovalent JN.1 or KP.2 vaccines remain appropriate vaccine antigens ; monovalent LP.8.1 is a suitable alternative vaccine antigen . -- In accordance with WHO SAGE policy, vaccination should not be delayed in anticipation of access to vacci...

{Excerpts} The 41st meeting of the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) on the international spread of poliovirus was convened by the WHO Director-General on 6 March 2025 with committee members and advisers meeting via video conference with affected countries, supported by the WHO Secretariat.   The Emergency Committee reviewed the data on wild poliovirus (WPV1) and circulating vaccine derived polioviruses (cVDPV) in the context of the global target of interruption and certification of WPV1 eradication by 2027 and interruption and certification of cVDPV2 elimination by 2029.  Technical updates were received about the situation in the following countries:  - Afghanistan,  - Algeria,  - Chad,  - Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo),  - Djibouti,  - Ethiopia,  - Germany,  - Pakistan,  - Poland and  - the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. (...) Based on the curr...

Influenza at the human-animal interface Summary and risk assessment, from 20 March to 22 April 2025 {1}  • New human cases {2}:  From 20 March to 22 April 2025 , based on reporting date, the detection of influenza A( H5N1 ) in four humans and influenza A( H9N2 ) virus in three humans were reported officially.  • Circulation of influenza viruses with zoonotic potential in animals :  High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) events in poultry and non-poultry continue to be reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).{3} The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) also provides a global update on avian influenza viruses with pandemic potential.{4}  • Risk assessment {5}:  Sustained human to human transmission has not been reported from these events. Based on information available at the time of the risk assessment, the overall public health risk from currently known influenza viruses circulating at the human-animal inter...