Global disease outbreaks surged in 2024, with an estimated 301 events reported worldwide, according to a new report published February 17, 2026, by BMJ Global Health.
The study, authored by Juan Armando Torres Munguía and Inmaculada Martínez-Zarzoso, reveals a significant shift in the landscape of infectious diseases. While COVID-19 remains a concern, the number of outbreaks linked to the virus is declining. Simultaneously, there has been a marked increase in outbreaks of viral diseases transmitted by vectors, such as mosquitoes and ticks.
Approximately 90% of all reported outbreaks in 2024 were attributed to COVID-19, dengue fever, yellow fever, Oropouche virus disease, and influenza, including strains linked to zoonotic sources and those with pandemic potential. The researchers emphasize that these outbreaks are not evenly distributed, disproportionately impacting countries already grappling with socio-economic challenges, climatic instability, and humanitarian crises.
Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean bore the brunt of the outbreak burden, accounting for 57% of all reported cases despite being home to only 23.3% of the global population. Sub-Saharan Africa, in particular, has experienced nearly 32% of all recorded outbreaks since 1996, highlighting a long-term vulnerability in the region.
The report underscores the critical demand for improved data collection and analysis, especially in regions most susceptible to outbreaks. Researchers call for greater investment in scientific efforts to forecast future health events and enable proactive responses. The authors, affiliated with the University of Goettingen and Jaume I University, note no competing interests were declared.
The study was published in BMJ Global Health, an open-access journal dedicated to publishing peer-reviewed content relevant to global health initiatives.