Reporting Period: March 1–10, 2026
The AeroClenz Chief Medical Officer, Kris Belland, periodically reviews publicly available infectious disease surveillance reports from organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
These summaries are intended to provide general awareness of global infectious disease activity relevant to international travel, healthcare systems, and high-traffic environments. This information is provided for situational awareness and does not constitute medical advice.
Key Observations
For the period of March 1–10, 2026, four practical themes stand out in the global infectious disease landscape:
- Measles resurgence remains operationally significant in multiple regions.
- Seasonal respiratory viruses, including influenza and RSV, continue circulating across the Northern Hemisphere but are trending downward.
- Chikungunya activity is ongoing in the western Indian Ocean region, including Seychelles.
- High-consequence pathogens such as Nipah virus remain contained but continue to require careful clinical monitoring.
Measles Resurgence
Measles remains one of the most operationally significant infectious diseases due to its high transmissibility and the potential for travel-associated spread. As of March 5, 2026, the CDC reports 1,281 confirmed measles cases in the United States. A recent Journal of Travel Medicine review examined transmission events linked to commercial air travel and identified contact investigations across at least 182 flights, with 70 secondary cases associated with 144 index cases.
Notably:
- Secondary cases were frequently identified outside the traditional two-row seating contact zone.
- Among secondary cases with known vaccination status, 73 percent were unvaccinated.
- Uptake of post-exposure prophylaxis was reported to be relatively low.
CDC guidance continues to emphasize the importance of vaccination status verification and timely public-health reporting when suspected measles cases occur during or after flights.
Seasonal Respiratory Viruses
Influenza remains the dominant respiratory virus across much of the Northern Hemisphere, although activity appears to be declining from peak levels.
According to WHO surveillance data:
- Global influenza positivity remains above 10 percent as of epidemiological week 8.
- Influenza A viruses remain predominant.
- SARS-CoV-2 circulation remains comparatively low.
The ECDC reports that influenza and RSV activity are declining across much of the EU/EEA region, with adults aged 65 and older accounting for the majority of influenza hospital admissions. In the United States, CDC seasonal surveillance indicates that the combined respiratory disease peak likely occurred during the week ending January 3, 2026. Influenza activity remains elevated nationally, with A(H3N2) the dominant strain and older adults experiencing the highest hospitalization rates.
Chikungunya Activity in the Western Indian Ocean
Chikungunya continues to be monitored as a travel-associated mosquito-borne disease in the western Indian Ocean region.
ECDC reports ongoing activity in:
- Seychelles
- La Réunion
- Mauritius
- Madagascar
- Comoros
The CDC currently maintains a Level 2 travel notice for Seychelles, recommending enhanced mosquito bite prevention measures. The CDC also notes that chikungunya vaccination is recommended for travelers visiting outbreak areas. For travelers and organizations with personnel in this region, mosquito prevention measures remain an important public-health consideration.
Nipah Virus Events
Recent Nipah virus reports from WHO describe limited and contained events.
WHO Disease Outbreak News reports:
- A small cluster of cases among healthcare workers in West Bengal, India
- A single case reported in Bangladesh linked to consumption of raw date palm sap
In both situations, contact tracing identified no evidence of onward transmission.
WHO risk assessments categorized the events as:
- Low risk nationally, regionally, and globally for the Bangladesh case
- Low risk nationally and regionally for the India cluster, with moderate risk at the sub-national level
WHO did not recommend airport screening measures, noting that some screening initiatives introduced by individual countries were precautionary rather than evidence-based.
Ebola and Marburg Status
No current expansion signals have been reported for Ebola or Marburg virus outbreaks.
CDC reports that the Democratic Republic of Congo Ebola outbreak ended on December 1, 2025, followed by a 90-day enhanced surveillance period. No cases were reported outside the DRC during that event. For Marburg virus disease, WHO and CDC report that Ethiopia declared its outbreak over on January 26, 2026, following two incubation periods without new confirmed cases.
Although no licensed vaccines or specific treatments currently exist for Marburg virus disease, investigational vaccines, including the cAd3-Marburg candidate, are undergoing clinical evaluation. CDC notes that investigational vaccine doses were deployed during the Ethiopian outbreak response.
Summary
The current global infectious disease landscape is characterized primarily by seasonal respiratory viruses and localized outbreak monitoring rather than widespread international disruption.
Key themes for early March 2026 include:
- Continued measles resurgence and its implications for international travel monitoring
- Declining but still active influenza and RSV circulation in the Northern Hemisphere
- Ongoing chikungunya activity in the western Indian Ocean region
- Contained Nipah virus events with low risk of international spread
- No active expansion signals for Ebola or Marburg outbreaks
Public-health surveillance agencies continue to monitor these developments and publish updates as new information becomes available. Sources referenced in this summary include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and peer-reviewed literature, including the Journal of Travel Medicine.
To learn more about AeroClenz, visit www.aeroclenz.com. Follow AeroClenz on social media for updates on research and technology developments.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aeroclenz
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AeroClenz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aeroclenz_