Maria Van Kerkhove

@mvankerkhove · Geneva, Switzerland · joined 12 Nov 2013

Infectious Disease Epidemiologist; Director Epidemic and Pandemic Management; WHO Health Emergencies Programme, WHO Opinions mine.

109 471Followers

569Following

7 942Posts total

262.5KViews on collected posts

Against accounts of the same size

5 posts from the last 90 days, next to the 100K–1M follower range. shown to more people than peers of the same size.

Median views4 113this account4 283median for 100K–1M

Reach, %3.76%this account1.68%median for 100K–1M

Engagement, %1.26%this account1.40%median for 100K–1M

Metric	This account	Median for 100K–1M	Ratio
Median views per post	4 113	4 283	0.96×
Reach (views ÷ followers)	3.76%	1.68%	2.24×
Engagement rate	1.26%	1.40%	0.91×

Others in this range → Compare with another account → How these benchmarks are built →

Growth & engagement

How the posts we collected actually performed: views and reaction rate post by post, what the audience did with them, and where the follower count goes.

Views per post

2.8K30 Jan

3.1K

8.2K

2.8K

4.7K

15.3K

4.4K

35.8K

16.8K

3.8K25 Aug

13K27 Aug

22.1K

4.1K

3.6K3 Sep

Last 14 collected posts, oldest on the left. The scale is logarithmic: one post can outrun the rest a hundred times over.

Engagement rate per post

3.10%30 Jan

3.57%

1.40%

3.65%

2.73%

0.78%

2.88%

0.56%

6.33%

0.94%25 Aug

1.27%27 Aug

3.23%

1.26%

1.01%3 Sep

Reactions — likes, reposts, replies and quotes — divided by views. Median for 100K–1M accounts is 1.40%.

What the audience does

Likes64.1%3 182 in total

Reposts19.3%960 in total

Replies6.3%314 in total

Quotes2.5%123 in total

Bookmarks7.8%387 in total

Share of every reaction we collected for this account. Replies mean argument, reposts mean endorsement, bookmarks mean the post was worth keeping.

The follower curve appears once this account has two daily snapshots — we take one a day, and this one is on its first.

Latest posts

This is a really impt step with thanks to ICG members- @WHO @ifrc @UNICEF @MSF -with funding support from @gavi ➡️Moving from the access & allocation mechanism established during the #mpox PHEIC to a longer term solution embedded with the principals & long-standing work 3.6K views · 29 likes · 7 reposts · 0 replies 03 Sep 2026 · Open on X →

Well done @MinofHealthUG on ending the Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus and remaining vigilant and supportive of the outbreak in DRC. Pleasure to mark this day with @ProfJanabi, the Minister and all at the @WHOAFRO 76th Regional Committee in Addis 🇪🇹 https://t.co/2B 4.1K views · 38 likes · 12 reposts · 1 replies 27 Aug 2026 · Open on X →

Uganda has reached 42 days since the last confirmed imported Ebola case was discharged on 16 July 2026, with no documented onward transmission associated with the case, marking an end to the outbreak. @WHO commends the Government of Uganda, health workers, communities and https: 22.1K views · 490 likes · 186 reposts · 19 replies 27 Aug 2026 · Open on X →

We are hiring! @WHO Unit Head (P5 based in Geneva, Switzerland) Emerging Zoonoses & High Impact Epidemics This is my former position, which I loved. Join us and work with incredible people at WHO and around the world. https://t.co/e4qbriNLDK 13K views · 107 likes · 46 reposts · 9 replies 27 Aug 2026 · Open on X →

🆕 Call for experts: @WHO Technical Advisory Group on Arboviral Diseases https://t.co/xTZG0P4pQV 3.8K views · 25 likes · 9 reposts · 1 replies 25 Aug 2026 · Open on X →

@mvankerkhove @WHO What is the timeline for issuing an apology to the world for mismanaging the pandemic by telling people SARS2 is not airborne? This continues to lead people to use ineffective droplet precautions and costs lives. https://t.co/iMEP7V4Mi1 16.8K views · 846 likes · 200 reposts · 14 replies 30 Jan 2026 · Open on X →

14/ Our asks for 2026: ✔️ Protect those most at risk ✔️ Maintain strong surveillance and the sharing of information ✔️ Invest in #LongCOVID research & care ✔️ Prepare before the next crisis, not after The work continues. 35.8K views · 110 likes · 27 reposts · 48 replies 30 Jan 2026 · Open on X →

13/ Six years on, what we know is clear: • #COVID19 isn’t gone • Vaccines reduce severe disease • Surveillance saves time — and lives • Preparedness and readiness must be continuous 4.4K views · 84 likes · 32 reposts · 8 replies 30 Jan 2026 · Open on X →

12/ Health workers, public health professionals, scientists, and responders have carried an extraordinary burden — often at great personal cost. We owe them more than thanks. This image haunts me and drives me to do more every day. https://t.co/vNBr3kvz4C 15.3K views · 80 likes · 19 reposts · 14 replies 30 Jan 2026 · Open on X →

11/ A critical part of the six-years of COVID is post-COVID-19 condition (#LongCOVID). Long-term symptoms affect millions and must be central to how we assess impact, recovery, and preparedness. https://t.co/T4yCE6txqq 4.7K views · 94 likes · 25 reposts · 5 replies 30 Jan 2026 · Open on X →

10/Disease surveillance and the sharing of information really matter. Reduced testing and reporting have created growing data gaps, making it harder to detect changes early and act quickly. We shouldn’t dismantle systems we built — we should strengthen them. 2.8K views · 73 likes · 24 reposts · 3 replies 30 Jan 2026 · Open on X →

8/ Effective tools exist for #COVID19 and other pathogens with epidemic and pandemic potential: • updated vaccines • effective treatments • surveillance systems • ventilation & prevention measures But uptake—especially among those most at risk—remains too low in many places 8.2K views · 71 likes · 22 reposts · 15 replies 30 Jan 2026 · Open on X →

7/ Early on in the pandemic, we saw how fast a novel virus can spread—but also how powerful science, collaboration, and data sharing can be when aligned. At the same time, inequities slowed progress and cost lives. Ending the emergency in 2023 did not mean the end of the threat. 3.1K views · 78 likes · 25 reposts · 6 replies 30 Jan 2026 · Open on X →

9/@WHO’s updated #COVID19 strategy focuses on protection, integration, and preparedness — embedding COVID prevention and care into routine health systems, not treating it as yesterday’s problem. 🔗 https://t.co/8qjJppyHsx 2.8K views · 60 likes · 17 reposts · 7 replies 30 Jan 2026 · Open on X →

6/ Over time, my messages have evolved as the situation changed: • 2020–21 was about emergency response- all hands on deck • 2022–23: transition & warnings • 2024–25: vigilance & preparedness My message for 2026 is simple: do not become complacent to the threats we fac 2.9K views · 80 likes · 16 reposts · 4 replies 30 Jan 2026 · Open on X →

5/ Six years on, #COVID19 has not gone away. SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate globally, evolve, reinfect, and cause severe disease & #LongCOVID. We all still feel the broader impacts of these 6 years. @nextstrain https://t.co/McJQbsGo77 https://t.co/qHQg5fPDAY 7.2K views · 138 likes · 59 reposts · 7 replies 30 Jan 2026 · Open on X →

4/ @WHO takes criticism seriously & makes changes. Multiple independent reviews have guided reforms, incl a strengthened IHR and a new level of alert: “pandemic emergency,” and the adoption of the WHO Pandemic Agreement Systems evolve because we learn https://t.co/LO9G8cJIxS 3.2K views · 48 likes · 10 reposts · 3 replies 30 Jan 2026 · Open on X →

➡️26 Jan: Senior WHO delegation led by @DrTedros travels to China to learn first hand about the outbreak & meet senior Chinese leaders ➡️29 Jan: DG announces he is reconvening EC ➡️30 Jan: DG declares a PHEIC. There are fewer than 100 reported cases outside of China, no death 2.8K views · 45 likes · 9 reposts · 2 replies 30 Jan 2026 · Open on X →

➡️15 Jan: Second case reported outside China (🇯🇵) ➡️20 Jan: @WHO DG @DrTedros announces he is convening an Emergency Committee (EC) under IHR. There are three reported cases outside China. ➡️22-23 Jan: WHO EC meets and is divided as to whether situation represents a PHEIC 2.9K views · 44 likes · 10 reposts · 2 replies 30 Jan 2026 · Open on X →

➡️4 Jan: @WHO provides info on social media ➡️5 Jan: WHO formally notifies countries (EIS & DON) ➡️9-12 Jan: WHO publishes comprehensive technical guidance ➡️13 Jan: Thailand reports first case ➡️14 Jan: Detailed update from WHO @ UN press conference⬇️ https://t.co/9fXqMUcava 3.1K views · 45 likes · 10 reposts · 1 replies 30 Jan 2026 · Open on X →

2/ Some still say @WHO was “too slow” to declare a PHEIC. Much of this rhetoric reflects hindsight bias and politicization. Decisions were made with the information available at the time as events unfolded — Context is important. https://t.co/etxv7IMlY8 10.4K views · 84 likes · 18 reposts · 9 replies 30 Jan 2026 · Open on X →

3/ A few impt dates for context: ➡️31 Dec 19: @WHO picks up the signal from Wuhan ➡️1 Jan 20: WHO asks China for more info and sets up an Incident Management Support Team ➡️2 Jan: WHO notifies #GOARN partners of the situation ➡️3 Jan: China provides info to WHO on the cluster 4K views · 75 likes · 14 reposts · 1 replies 30 Jan 2026 · Open on X →

🧵#COVID19: six years on 1/ Six years ago today, @WHO declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)- the highest level of alarm under international health law at the time This pandemic has changed global health forever. 85.1K views · 438 likes · 163 reposts · 135 replies 30 Jan 2026 · Open on X →

FACT: #COVID19 is NOT airborne. The #coronavirus is mainly transmitted through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks. To protect yourself: -keep 1m distance from others -disinfect surfaces frequently -wash/rub your 👐 -avoid touching your 👀👃👄 http 0 views · 39.9K likes · 35K reposts · 2.9K replies 28 Mar 2020 · Open on X →