Will the World Health Organization (WHO) declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) regarding human metapneumovirus (HMPV) before 1 January 2026?
Closing Jan 01, 2026 08:01AM UTC
HMPV is a virus that can cause respiratory disease, and public health officials are concerned that an increase in cases could evolve into a pandemic (The Hill, BBC, CDC). A PHEIC is defined by WHO as "an extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease and to potentially require a coordinated international response" under International Health Regulations, with recent examples including COVID-19, mpox (fka Monkeypox), and wild polio (International Health Regulations 2005, linked here under publications - WHO - International Health Regulations, International Health Regulations - Annex II, Pan American Health Organization, WHO - Mpox PHEIC Declaration 2024).
Confused? Check our FAQ or ask us for help. To learn more about Good Judgment and Superforecasting, click here.
To learn more about how you can become a Superforecaster, see here. For other posts from our Insights blog, click here.