PHEIC=Public Health Emergency of International Concern

What is a public health emergency of international concern?

A PHEIC is defined in the IHR (2005) as, “an extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease and to potentially require a coordinated international response”. This definition implies a situation that is:

*serious, sudden, unusual or unexpected;
*carries implications for public health beyond the affected State’s national border; and
*may require immediate international action.