U.S. Disease Tracker website launches to monitor vaccine-preventable illnesses

A new online platform, the U.S. Disease Tracker, has been created by Johns Hopkins University together with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. The site will initially track measles, meningitis and pertussis cases across all U.S. states and territories, with plans to add further vaccine‑preventable diseases later.

The tracker builds on the CDC’s national disease‑surveillance system, offering open‑access, timely, and detailed visualizations at state, sub‑state and age‑group levels. Over 25 jurisdictions have pledged participation; data from ten states are currently displayed, with additional jurisdictions slated to join by 2026. Project co‑lead Lauren Gardner said the COVID‑19 pandemic highlighted the value of accessible, standardized public‑health data. The platform aims to provide reliable information for the public, media, health‑care providers, policymakers and researchers.