Ongoing regional outbreaks, including the Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with over 7,400 confirmed cases as of mid-September 2026, have been classified by the WHO as a public health emergency of international concern but fall short of pandemic criteria due to limited geographic spread and absence of sustained global human-to-human transmission. Surveillance data from the WHO and CDC show no novel pathogen meeting pandemic thresholds, supported by post-COVID improvements in monitoring, contact tracing, and international coordination. With only three months remaining in 2026, trader consensus at 95.5% on "No" aligns with these observations. A realistic shift could occur if a new respiratory virus or mutated strain achieves rapid international dissemination before year-end.