Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) - World Health Organization (WHO) Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus Most people infected with the virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment However, some will become seriously ill and require medical attention
Ebola disease - World Health Organization (WHO) The virus can get into the human population when people have close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals such as fruit bats, chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, forest antelope or porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest
WHO outlines recommendations to protect infants against RSV . . . Today, WHO published its first-ever position paper on immunization products to protect infants against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – the leading cause of acute lower respiratory infections in children globally
Marburg virus disease - World Health Organization (WHO) Marburg virus disease (MVD) is a severe disease with a fatality ratio of up to 88% This rate can be lower with good and early patient care MVD was initially detected in 1967 after two simultaneous outbreaks in Marburg and Frankfurt in Germany, and in Belgrade, Serbia The outbreak was associated with laboratory work using African green monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) imported from Uganda
Influenza (seasonal) - World Health Organization (WHO) Influenza C virus is detected less frequently and usually causes mild infections, thus does not present public health importance Influenza D viruses primarily affect cattle and are not known to infect or cause illness in people Signs and symptoms Symptoms of influenza usually begin around 2 days after being infected by someone who has the virus
Chikungunya epidemiology update - June 2025 Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus primarily transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes It causes acute illness characterized by fever, rash, and debilitating joint pain, with some patients experiencing long-term joint pain and disabilities
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Key facts COVID-19 is a disease caused by a virus The most common symptoms are fever, chills, and sore throat, but there are a range of others Most people make a full recovery without needing hospital treatment People with severe symptoms should seek medical care as soon as possible Over 760 million cases and 6 9 million deaths have been recorded worldwide since December 2019, but the
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunization products Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus that causes symptoms similar to the common cold, including a runny nose, cough and fever RSV can cause more severe illnesses such as pneumonia or bronchiolitis It is particularly dangerous for infants, young children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems or serious underlying health conditions Each year, RSV
WHO prequalifies first maternal respiratory syncytial virus vaccine On 12 March 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) prequalified the first maternal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine to protect infants against one of the most common causes of acute lower respiratory infections in children globally
Mpox - World Health Organization (WHO) Mpox is caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV) It is an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the Poxviridae family, which includes variola, cowpox, vaccinia and other viruses There are two distinct clades of the virus: clade I (with subclades Ia and Ib) and clade II (with subclades IIa and IIb)