Analyses conducted using the “Global Pandemic Monitoring Portal” developed by Near East University, one of the world’s top 500 universities, revealed that while the measles outbreak that began in the Americas before the 2026 FIFA World Cup continued its regional impact, a new wave of outbreaks did not occur on a global scale after the tournament. The Global Pandemic Monitoring Portal tracks the global trajectory of 25 different infectious diseases in real-time.
Developed by the Near East University Experimental Health Sciences Research Institute (DESAM), the “Global Pandemic Monitoring Portal” offers the ability to monitor global infections in real time. Initial analyses conducted through the portal focused on the measles outbreak that began in the Americas before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The system, which gathers official data from internationally trusted organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on a single platform, analyzes the course of epidemics/pandemics with advanced epidemiological indicators. The portal monitors 25 different infectious diseases in real-time, including West Nile Virus, Chikungunya, COVID-19, Dengue Fever, Ebola, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Influenza A, Influenza B, HIV, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, Monkeypox, Measles, RSV, Yellow Fever, Malaria, Hantavirus, Cholera, Tuberculosis, Rabies, Typhoid, Diphtheria, Pertussis, and Zika.
The Global Pandemic Monitoring Portal, which provides scientific contributions to the early detection of potential outbreaks in different regions of the world, risk analysis, and timely preventive measures by health authorities, stands out as an important early warning and epidemiological analysis platform not only for the TRNC and Turkey but also on a global scale.
Measles Outbreak Continues in the Americas
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico between June 11 and July 19, 2026, brought millions of people together in the Americas. The ongoing measles outbreak in the region before the World Cup raised concerns that the intense international movement of people could carry the disease to different geographies. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the regional organization of the World Health Organization in the Americas, had also called on countries to strengthen measles vaccination and epidemiological surveillance before the event. Analyses revealed that the measles outbreak that began in the Americas before the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues to have a regional impact, but that a new wave of outbreaks has not occurred on a global scale since the event.
Analyses conducted through the portal reveal not only the current state of epidemics but also their potential for spread. The Global Pandemic Monitoring Portal’s analysis over the last 1.5 months has identified Guatemala as the highest level of measles virus transmission. The analyses also show that in the host countries of the 2026 FIFA World Cup – the United States, Canada, and Mexico – the level of contagiousness is similar to that before the tournament. These findings indicate that the measles outbreak that began in the Americas before the World Cup is still affecting the region. Following the return of millions of visitors who flocked to the continent for the World Cup, assessments revealed that there is no risk of an outbreak in any country except the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and that the virus has not spread outside the continent.
Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel: “Supporting a strong healthcare infrastructure with scientific data and technology is one of the most important elements in protecting public health.”
Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Near East Enterprises Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel emphasized the importance of supporting a strong healthcare infrastructure with accurate data and technology in the fight against infectious diseases. Prof. Dr. Günsel stated, “With our hospitals, research centers, laboratories, and trained human resources, we are adding significant capacity to Cyprus’s healthcare infrastructure. We also see scientific research, preventive healthcare services, and technology as integral parts of this structure. The Global Pandemic Monitoring Portal is an important result of this approach.”
Highlighting that the portal is an important scientific tool that will contribute to public health policies, Prof. Dr. Günsel said, “Being able to analyze the course of pandemics in a timely manner contributes to making the right decisions in many areas, from vaccination strategies to preventive healthcare practices. This capacity is of great importance not only for combating current pandemics but also for being prepared for future health threats.”
Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ added: “COVID-19 has shown the importance of anticipating risks and being prepared.”
Near East University Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ stated that the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how quickly global health threats can spread, adding, “This experience revealed how important the capacity to correctly interpret data, predict risks, and be prepared is, in addition to scientific research.”
Expressing the importance they place on studies that combine health sciences with artificial intelligence and data analytics, Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ said, “The Global Pandemic Monitoring Portal is an important example of how the scientific knowledge produced at our university is combined with technology to transform into societal benefit. The results regarding the measles outbreak during the World Cup also demonstrate this potential. Our goal is to contribute to the protection of global public health with the solutions we develop.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cenk Serhan Özverel: “We have made it possible to monitor pandemics globally through a single platform.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cenk Serhan Özverel, Director of the Near East University Experimental Health Sciences Research Institute, stated that the portal brings together epidemiological data obtained from international official sources on a single platform, saying, “We are simultaneously monitoring the global course of 25 infectious diseases. Our aim is not only to show the current situation, but also to enable the early detection of potential risks by analyzing changes through epidemiological indicators.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özverel noted that the analysis of the measles outbreak during the World Cup was one of the first examples of the capabilities offered by the portal, adding, “Infectious diseases know no borders. Therefore, continuous and systematic monitoring of global data is of great importance. We aim to transform our portal into an international reference platform that contributes to early warning and risk assessment.”