‘World Not Becoming Safer’: Why Ebola, Hantavirus And Other Outbreaks Are Spreading Faster

Last Updated:May 19, 2026, 17:47 IST

According to the report, several global trends are making infectious diseases more likely to spread rapidly across borders. 

The world is becoming increasingly vulnerable to infectious disease outbreaks, with illnesses such as Ebola, mpox and hantavirus spreading faster and becoming harder to contain amid climate change, conflict, weakened health systems and growing distrust in global cooperation. This stark warning was issued in a new report by the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB) which said the world is “not yet meaningfully safer" despite the lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic.

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The report comes as authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda battle fresh Ebola outbreaks, while a hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship has triggered international concern.

Why Are Outbreaks Becoming More Frequent?

According to the report, several global trends are making infectious diseases more likely to spread rapidly across borders. One major factor is the climate crisis. Rising temperatures, floods and shifting ecosystems are allowing disease-carrying animals and insects to move into new regions, increasing human exposure to viruses previously confined to isolated areas.

Armed conflict and displacement are also accelerating outbreaks. Wars and political instability often destroy healthcare infrastructure, interrupt vaccination programmes and force large populations into overcrowded camps where diseases spread quickly. The report also warned that increasing geopolitical tensions and nationalism are weakening global cooperation at a time when coordinated responses are crucial.

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Ebola Outbreak Sparks Fresh Alarm

The latest concerns centre around an Ebola outbreak in the DRC, where at least 87 deaths have already been reported. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak an international public health emergency. WHO officials said emergency supplies in Kinshasa had already been depleted as response teams rushed to contain the virus. Aid groups including Médecins Sans Frontières and the International Rescue Committee have deployed teams to affected areas. Health authorities are also racing to better understand the outbreak after early tests reportedly looked for the wrong Ebola strain, causing false negatives and delaying containment efforts.

Why World Is Still Struggling After Covid

The report acknowledged that vaccine technology and pandemic science have advanced dramatically since Covid-19, especially with the development of mRNA platforms. However, the report said the world is moving backwards in other crucial areas- particularly equitable access to vaccines, medicines and testing.

During recent mpox outbreaks, African countries reportedly waited nearly two years to receive vaccines, even longer than the delays seen during Covid-19 vaccine rollouts. The report also warned that public trust in governments, science and public health institutions has weakened significantly since the pandemic. Politicised responses, misinformation and attacks on scientific agencies have left societies “less resilient to the next emergency".

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