In 2024, the world faced various public health challenges, including outbreaks of infectious diseases like dengue, mpox, and bird flu. Dengue cases in the Americas reached over 12.6 million, a significant increase from 2023. Mpox also became a public health emergency in Africa, with close to 60,000 confirmed and suspected cases. Bird flu spread at U.S. dairy farms, with 60 confirmed cases in people, mostly workers exposed at farms.
Climate change contributed to extreme heatwaves globally in 2024, from India to Europe to Northern Africa. A heat dome brought record-breaking temperatures to parts of the United States, increasing the risk of heat-related illnesses and death. In response, an online resource called HeatRisk was developed in the U.S. to inform people about the current heat risk in their area and air quality. Access to clean drinking water continued to be a challenge, with over half the world’s population lacking safe drinking water. A study suggested that over 4.4 billion people lack access to clean water, more than double the official estimate by the World Health Organization.
The United States saw a significant decrease in drug overdose deaths, with estimates dropping from around 113,000 in 2023 to about 94,000 in 2024, a decline of nearly 17 percent. This was the largest drop recorded for U.S. overdose deaths, with experts still assessing the factors contributing to the decrease. The COVID-19 pandemic continued to impact public health, with the CDC updating isolation guidelines and ongoing efforts to control the spread of the virus through updated vaccines and free rapid tests distributed to homes.
The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced an official definition for long COVID, which persists for at least three months after a coronavirus infection and can include more than 200 symptoms. A nasal spray for severe allergic reactions, the first of its kind, gained FDA approval for adults and children, providing a non-shot option for severe reactions. Hospitals in the U.S. are now required to obtain written informed consent for sensitive exams, such as breast, pelvic, prostate, and rectal exams, that are not medically necessary, to address ethical concerns.
A new rule in the U.S. mandates that mammography reports include information on whether the individual has dense breast tissue, as this can increase the risk of a breast cancer diagnosis. This rule went into effect in September 2024 to ensure that individuals have a more comprehensive understanding of their breast health. Overall, public health efforts in 2024 focused on addressing various challenges, from infectious diseases and extreme weather to drug overdoses and ensuring access to clean water and medical care.
