Overview
- Gov. JB Pritzker said Illinois has joined the WHO-coordinated Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network to retain real-time surveillance, technical support, and outbreak intelligence.
- The move follows the federal government’s formal exit from WHO in January, completing a process launched by a 2025 executive order signed by President Donald Trump.
- Illinois officials said membership requires no fees and the state will contribute laboratory capacity such as genomic sequencing, wastewater surveillance, and outbreak investigation expertise.
- The White House and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services criticized the decision, faulting WHO’s COVID-19 performance and rejecting state-level engagement with international bodies.
- State health leaders pointed to risks linked to international travel through Chicago’s O’Hare and to recent alerts like the Marburg outbreak in Ethiopia, while experts suggest other states could pursue similar collaborations.