Public health guides
Original, source-linked explainers written by the OutbreakThreat Editorial Desk. Each guide helps you read agency notices responsibly, understand what maps and alerts can and cannot show, and find the primary WHO, CDC, FDA, or ECDC page behind a headline. These are not medical advice.
Looking for shorter briefs tied to current events? Browse outbreak reports or the interactive map.
- How to read a public health outbreak notice
Learn how to read outbreak notices from health agencies: dates, geography, case definitions, and what actions are actually recommended.
- What WHO Disease Outbreak News means
WHO Disease Outbreak News items explain international outbreaks. Learn what DON includes, who it is for, and how to read updates like DON600.
- CDC HAN alerts explained
CDC HAN notices alert U.S. clinicians to urgent health threats. Learn HAN types, who should read them, and how they differ from media reports.
- Food recall vs outbreak investigation
FDA recalls and CDC outbreak investigations are related but different. Learn which agency leads, what each notice means, and how to respond.
- How wastewater disease surveillance works
Wastewater monitoring detects virus trends in communities. Learn how CDC NWSS works, what trends mean, and what they do not prove.
- Norovirus outbreak tracking guide
Norovirus spreads quickly in group settings. Learn how agencies track outbreaks, what notices include, and how to read norovirus signals.
- Measles exposure notice guide
Measles exposure notices name times and places where the public may have encountered a contagious case. Learn how to read them and what agencies recommend.
- Hantavirus exposure reporting guide
Hantavirus is rare but serious. Learn how CDC, WHO, and states report exposures, including travel-associated clusters and rodent habitat risks.
- Avian influenza alerts explained
Bird flu alerts cover animal outbreaks, human cases, and agricultural controls. Learn how CDC, USDA, and WHO message avian influenza risks.
- Cruise ship outbreak reporting guide
Cruise ship outbreaks are reported through federal maritime health systems. Learn VSP thresholds, what notices include, and how to read them.
- School disease alert guide
Schools communicate disease alerts through health departments and district letters. Learn how to read them and what actions are typically recommended.
- Restaurant outbreak alert guide
Health departments publish restaurant outbreak alerts when illnesses tie to a dining venue. Learn what notices include and how investigations conclude.
- Travel disease alert guide
Travel disease alerts combine WHO, CDC, and country advisories. Learn how to read them before and after trips.
- Mosquito-borne disease alert guide
Mosquito-borne disease alerts cover West Nile, dengue, malaria, and more. Learn how agencies publish risk and what maps show.
- Tick-borne disease alert guide
Tick-borne disease alerts cover Lyme, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and more. Learn how states publish risk and case notices.
- How OutbreakThreat ranks credibility tiers
OutbreakThreat assigns OFFICIAL, EMERGING, and CHATTER tiers to signals. Learn what each tier means and how filtering works.
- Why outbreak maps show broad regions
Outbreak maps often use counties or countries instead of street pins. Learn why publisher geography is broad and how to read /map responsibly.
- How often agencies update outbreak notices
Outbreak notices update on investigation timelines, not news cycles. Learn typical cadences for WHO, CDC, FDA, and state health departments.