Illinois Joins Global Disease Monitoring Network After U.S. Withdrawal

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Illinois will join the World Health Organization's Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), a global partnership that monitors emerging disease threats, Gov. JB Pritzker announced. The move comes after the federal government formally withdrew the United States from the WHO. State officials say the GOARN membership will give Illinois public health leaders access to early-warning alerts, expert support, and real-time intelligence on global outbreaks.

Why it matters

With the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO, Illinois is taking steps to maintain strong connections to global health expertise and disease surveillance capabilities. The state's participation in GOARN will help ensure Illinois can stay informed and prepared for potential public health emergencies.

The details

GOARN is a WHO-coordinated partnership of public health agencies, laboratories, and research institutions around the world. Membership will give Illinois access to GOARN's early-warning alerts, expert support, and real-time intelligence on global outbreaks. The state says this will complement existing partnerships with federal agencies and support ongoing work in areas like genomic sequencing, wastewater surveillance, and outbreak investigation.

• On February 4, 2026, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced the state will join GOARN.
• In 2020, the Trump administration formally withdrew the United States from the World Health Organization.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Illinois will continue convening its Global Health Advisory Committee and supporting science-based vaccine guidance through the state's Immunization Advisory Committee as part of its broader efforts to maintain a strong public health infrastructure.