Objectives To detect global infectious disease events occurring outside China in July 2026 and assess the importation risk to China and international travel risk.

Methods Utilizing open-source intelligence on the internet, this study conducts event-based surveillance of priority infectious diseases and adopts the risk matrix methodology to build an indicator system by integrating disease-, country- and event-specific indicators in terms of transmission likelihood and severity of consequences in order to assess the risk of the importation and the risk of international travel.

Results In July 2026, 15 infectious diseases were detected to form events or outbreaks in 40 countries or regions worldwide. In terms of importation risk to China, there are 6 high-risk events and 23 medium-risk events; in terms of international travel risk, there are 11 high-risk events and 15 medium-risk events.

Conclusion For importation risk, it is recommended to pay close attention to the dengue fever outbreaks in Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, and pay general attention to dengue fever, cholera, chikungunya, measles, plague, West Nile fever, and Zika virus disease in specific countries or regions. For international travel risk, it is recommended to pay close attention to the dengue fever outbreaks in Sudan, Cambodia, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, the cholera outbreaks in the Central African Republic, Nigeria, Sudan, and Cameroon, and the measles outbreak in Maldives, Bangladesh, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and pay general attention to Ebola virus disease, diphtheria, dengue fever, chikungunya, measles, plague, and West Nile fever in specific countries.