Protecting Americans from Infectious Diseases
The Outbreaks: Protecting Americans from Infectious Diseases report found that more than half (28) of states scored a five or lower out of 10 key indicators related to preventing, detecting, diagnosing and responding to outbreaks. Five states—Delaware, Kentucky, Maine, New York and Virginia—tied for the top score, achieving eight out of 10 indicators. Seven states—Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah—tied for the lowest score at three out of 10.
The report, from TFAH and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), concluded that the United States must redouble efforts to better protect the country from new infectious disease threats, such as MERS-CoV and antibiotic-resistant superbugs, and resurging illnesses like whooping cough, tuberculosis and gonorrhea.