Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
A PHEIC is the highest alert level under the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005, declared by the WHO Director-General on the advice of an Emergency Committee of experts.
- PHEIC declaration criteria: the event must be serious, unusual, or unexpected; carry a risk of international spread; and potentially require a coordinated international response.
- A PHEIC triggers legally binding obligations on all 196 IHR member states, including enhanced surveillance, reporting, and point-of-entry screening.
- Past PHEIC declarations: H1N1 influenza (2009), Polio (2014), Ebola West Africa (2014–2016), Zika (2016), Ebola DRC (2019), COVID-19 (2020), Mpox (2022, 2024), and the current Ebola outbreak (2026).
- India's IHR National Focal Point operates through the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP).
● Tracked since May 17, 2026 · last seen May 21, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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