WHO is developing new tools and innovative partnerships to boost countries’ defenses against future pandemics, including real-time threat detection and genomic analysis of viruses.

In today’s interconnected world, health threats spread faster than ever. A new virus can cross continents in hours. An outbreak in one country can escalate into a global crisis in days. This reality requires constant innovation to protect lives and prevent the next pandemic.

Building on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin leverages innovative tools and collaborations for more effective disease surveillance worldwide. Just over three years after its inauguration, the Hub now supports over 150 countries in detecting health threats more effectively and rapidly.

The Hub’s latest annual report highlights the growing impact of this work and provides key insights into progress made in 2024.

As no country can tackle the next pandemic alone, WHO is supporting countries to implement Collaborative Surveillance, a new collaborative approach to disease surveillance that promotes data and information sharing so that outbreaks can be detected and controlled faster.

The early warning system hosted at the Hub, called Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS), scans online sources in real time and uses AI technology to identify public health threats more efficiently.

“The Hub is ensuring that the most robust tools and analytics are available to enhance early threat detection and rapid response and support decision-makers around the world,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “I have urged all WHO Member States to work closely with the Hub, not only to strengthen their own national and regional health security, but also to contribute to global preparedness and response.”