On Feb. 3, 2026, Governor Pritzker announced the State of Illinois is joining the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), a coordinated international network dedicated to monitoring and responding to global disease outbreaks.

Following President Trump’s withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization and retreat from global public health cooperation, Illinois will now be directly connected to timely global alerts, expert public health networks, and international response capabilities essential to protecting Illinois residents from emerging disease threats. ​

“By withdrawing from the World Health Organization, Donald Trump has undermined science and weakened our nation’s ability to detect and respond to global health threats. I refuse to sit idly by and let that happen,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “By joining the World Health Organization’s coordinated network, GOARN, we are ensuring that our public health leaders – and the public – have the information, expertise, and partnerships they need to protect the people of our state. Across our state and alongside valued partners around the world, Illinois will continue to put science, preparedness, and people first.

The outbreak response network, GOARN, is a WHO-coordinated, worldwide partnership of hundreds of public health institutions, national governments, academic centers, laboratories, and response organizations focused on rapidly detecting and responding to emerging public health threats. Membership in this network strengthens Illinois’ preparedness for future pandemics and emerging threats, and complements the Illinois Department of Public Health’s (IDPH) ongoing coordination with U.S. public-health partners, fortifying response efforts at home while gaining access to global expertise and real-time outbreak intelligence.

Additionally, Illinois will continue to convene its Global Health Advisory Committee, which brings together leading experts from world-class Illinois institutions to ensure the state benefits from the best available scientific insight and international health intelligence.