ABSTRACT
A failure in the timely surveillance of domestic and international travelers transformed the 27 cases of pneumonia in China to an epidemic and then to the fifth pandemic of the 21st century. It is ever evident that travel and outbreak are strongly correlated. An imported outbreak compromises global health security, devitalizes economy and strains political relationships among nations. 'World Health Organization' advocated 'International Health Regulations'(IHR), to improve international surveillance and public health reporting mechanisms for events that are global health risks. Travel medicine does exist as a specialty in most nations. Despite all these instruments, there was a gap evident from the failure in the surveillance of travelers at times of CoVID-19, even by the better prepared and ever-alert developed nations, led to the pandemic. An overview on the travel and infectious disease outbreaks, existing policies and protocols and nations' ability in pandemic preparedness and the WHO's response to COVID-19 outbreak is drawn.