Outbreak News Today

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reissued an emergency use authorization (EUA) to Quest Diagnostics to authorize its Quest SARS-CoV-2 rRT-PCR test for use with pooled samples containing up to four individual swab specimens collected under observation. The Quest test is the first COVID-19 diagnostic test to be authorized for use with pooled samples. Sample pooling […]The post Quest Diagnostics receives FDA authorization to perform sample pooling for COVID-19 testing appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The health benefits of maintaining routine childhood vaccination programmes in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic far outweigh the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission that might be associated with clinic visits, according to a modelling study published in The Lancet Global Health journal. For every additional COVID-19 death that might be associated with additional exposure to the virus during […]The post Routine childhood vaccines benefits far outweigh risks of additional COVID-19 transmission in Africa: Study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Widespread use of pesticides and other agrochemicals can speed the transmission of the debilitating disease schistosomiasis, while also upsetting the ecological balances in aquatic environments that prevent infections, finds a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. Schistosomiasis, also known as snail fever, is caused by parasitic worms that develop and […]The post Berkeley researchers: Pesticides increase Schistosomiasis transmission appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The LKS Faculty of Medicine of The University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) has collaborated with Institut Pasteur, Paris, to develop an approach to evolve molecules which are entirely alien to biology. The researchers have demonstrated the approach by evolving molecules which stick to a malaria biomarker. Critically, these special non-biological molecules are able to carry […]The post Malaria: HKUMed and Institut Pasteur collaborate to use an evolution in a test tube approach to develop new molecules for diagnosis appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Philippines Department of Health (DOH) reported 2,241 new COVID-19 infections Sunday, raising the overall tally to 67,456. 1,625 of the new cases were reported from the National Capital Region (NCR), or the Metro Manila area. 58 new deaths were reported, bringing the death total to 1,831. Officials also note that there are […]The post Philippines COVID-19 update: 2,241 new cases, Local PCR test now available appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The World Health Organization (WHO) African Region tweeted Friday: The latest Situation Report from the 11th Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak in Mbandaka, Équateur Province DRC (reported 16 July 2020)–To date there has been 57 cases (53 confirmed, 4 probable), 22 deceased and 16 people have recovered. The outbreak is DR Congo’s 11th since […]The post Ebola update: Additional case brings total to 57 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Health officials in China say the COVID-19 outbreak in Beijing has been tamed. It has been 14 days since the city has reported a positive case. Since June 11, the Chinese capital city reported 335 confirmed domestically transmitted cases, of whom 205 remain hospitalized and 130 were discharged from Beijing Ditan Hospital after recovery. […]The post China COVID-19: Beijing under control, Epidemiologist’s take on country’s situation appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Entomologists with Texas A&M University’s AgriLife Research are reporting an increase in kissing bugs collected in multiple regions of of Texas this year. Kissing bugs, aka triatomine bugs and conenose bugs, are potential vectors for the parasitic disease, Chagas disease, an infections of both people and animals. “We have already collected over 300 […]The post Texas reports increase in kissing bugs, Could increase Chagas risk appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the detection of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus in mosquito samples in Massachusetts, state health officials announced that eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus has been detected in Plymouth County for the first time this year. The findings mark the third time EEE virus has been confirmed in tested mosquito samples in […]The post Massachusetts reports additional EEE mosquito samples, 1st West Nile virus samples appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Through the first half of the year, the Federal District registered 42,159 cases of dengue, an increase of 20.2% over the same period last year, when there were 35,070 occurrences of the disease, according to the Department of Health. The region with the most cases includes Ceilândia, with 4,840 infected, followed by Vicente […]The post Brazil dengue: Federal District reports 20 percent increase appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Taiwan Department of Disease Control (CDC) announced four new confirmed cases of Japanese encephalitis in the country, bringing the total to 13 for the year. Three of the new cases are currently hospitalized. According to the CDC, among the 4 confirmed cases, the Taichung City case is mainly active in the Nantou […]The post Taiwan Japanese encephalitis cases rise to 13 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Costa Rica Ministry of Health reported an additional 423 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, bringing the outbreak total to 9969. Positive cases are counted in 81 cantons. Cases broken down by age include– 8111 adults, 512 older adults and 1240 minors, 100 are under investigation. 2818 recovered people are registered in 79 cantons. The recovered cases […]The post Costa Rica COVID-19: Cases near 10,000, Government announces new containment measures appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Brazil The Brazil Ministry of Health recorded 45,403 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, putting the total cases at 2,012,151 confirmed cases of the disease. The country has registered some 1.3 million recoveries from the virus. The disease is present in 97.4% of Brazilian municipalities. However, more than half of the cities (3,312- 61%) have […]The post Brazil COVID-19 cases top 2 million, India tops 1 million appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

COVID-19 is associated with life-threatening blood clots in the arteries of the legs, according to a study published in Radiology. Researchers said COVID-19 patients with symptoms of inadequate blood supply to the lower extremities tend to have larger clots and a significantly higher rate of amputation and death than uninfected people with the same condition. COVID-19’s […]The post Dangerous blood clots form in leg arteries of COVID-19 patients appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A new study by Kansas State University researchers is the first to confirm that SARS-CoV-2 cannot be transmitted to people by mosquitoes. Stephen Higgs, associate vice president for research and director of the university’s Biosecurity Research Institute, or BRI, together with colleagues from the BRI and the College of Veterinary Medicine had the findings published July 17 by Nature […]The post SARS-CoV-2 cannot be transmitted to people by mosquitoes: KSU study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a recent Op-Ed, Pacific Research Institute President, Sally Pipes asked–Will COVID-19 launch an epidemic of cancer as the pandemic stay-at-home orders have caused patients to put off routine cancer screening. Mammogram and colonoscopy rates fell between 86 percent and 94 percent in March. One study estimates that during the past three months, more than […]The post Cancer screening in the time of COVID-19: Prevent Cancer Foundation’s ‘Back on the Books’ campaign appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Colorado health officials stated that there was a human plague case diagnosed earlier this summer in a resident from southwest Colorado who had exposure to sick squirrels. The patient had septicemic plague, which is in the blood and cannot be spread to other people. The resident recovered, and no other cases were identified. […]The post Colorado reports 1st human plague case in 5 years appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) 11th Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak that started on June 1 this year in Equateur Province continues to increase as health officials now report 56 cases in six health zones to date. Of the 56 cases reported so far, 53 are confirmed and three are probable. […]The post Ebola outbreak rises to 56 cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) in Johannesburg reported 13,172 new COVID-19 cases today making South Africa the country with the sixth most cases globally with 324,221. To date, more than 2.3 million tests have been performed. Since the start of the outbreak in March, at least 4,669 people have died from […]The post COVID-19: South Africa reports 13,172 new cases, now 6th in the world appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Philippines reported an additional nearly 2500 cases Friday, bringing the country total to 61,266. The National Capital Region (NCR), or Metro Manila area accounted for 1886 of these new cases. Today, Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque announced the NCR will remain under general community quarantine (GCQ) starting July 16 until July 31. President Rodrigo […]The post Manila to remain under quarantine until end of month, Philippines now has 85 certified labs appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NeuroRx, Inc., in partnership with RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holdings AG today announced that the independent Data Monitoring Committee has reviewed the findings in the first 30 patients treated in Fast Track FDA trials of RLF-100 (Aviptadil) in patients with Critical COVID-19 with respiratory failure. The study protocol enrolls patients with Critical COVID-19 and Respiratory Failure and […]The post Phase 2/3 clinical trial for critically ill COVID-19 patients continues to enroll patients as cases surge across the country appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Global public health organization NSF International is offering small businesses, community centers, apartment complexes and other facilities free posters to encourage personal behaviors that may prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-Cov-2). The educational posters were developed by NSF International based on guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World […]The post NSF publishes COVID-19 prevention signage for businesses, public gathering places appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

During the government’s pre-SONA forum on Wednesday, July 15, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III claimed that the Philippines has “successfully flattened the curve since April” even as cases of COVID-19 in the country continue to rise. In a clarification published by the Department of Health, the statement is based on the reported lengthening of the […]The post Philippines COVID-19: SOH Duque clarifies ‘flattening the curve’ statement appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A common drug, already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), may also be a powerful tool in fighting COVID-19, according to research published this week in Antiviral Research. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, uses a surface spike protein to latch onto human cells and initiate infection. But heparin, a blood thinner also available […]The post Heparin could be used as a decoy to prevent SARS-CoV-2 from infecting human cells appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

An adult female feral pig from Central Oregon sampled for disease as part of a surveillance program tested positive for Pseudorabies (PRV), a contagious disease that can harm livestock and also spread to some wildlife species. This pig was sampled on June 8, 2020 as a part of the ongoing feral pig control and disease […]The post Oregon reports first Pseudorabies case appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In the past 24 hours, Venezuelan health officials reported 303 new COVID-19 cases–281 community transmission and 22 imported cases. This brings the country total to 10,010. President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro said the bulk of the cases were reported from Miranda and the Capital District. Meanwhile, the head of […]The post Venezuela reports 300 new COVID-19 cases, Case total surpasses 10,000 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews An additional nearly 13,000 COVID-19 cases were reported in South Africa today, putting the case total to 311,049. In fact, South Africa reported some 100,000 cases in the past nine days. Gauteng province has reported the most cases with 112,714, followed by Western Cape and Eastern Cape with 81,556 and 55,584 cases, respectively. […]The post South Africa reports 12,759 new COVID-19 cases, total tops 300K appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Michigan state health officials, along with the Ottawa County Health Department have confirmed the first human Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV) case of the year in the state. Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen that circulates widely in North America, primarily between deer and a variety of mosquito species, but can also […]The post Michigan: Jamestown Canyon virus case confirmed in Ottawa County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

An investigational vaccine, mRNA-1273, designed to protect against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), was generally well tolerated and prompted neutralizing antibody activity in healthy adults, according to interim results published online today in The New England Journal of Medicine. The ongoing Phase 1 trial is supported by the National Institute of Allergy […]The post NIH: Investigational COVID-19 vaccine generally well tolerated and prompted neutralizing antibody activity appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Americans are increasingly adopting the use of cloth face masks to slow the spread of COVID-19, and the latest science may convince even more to do so. In an editorial published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), CDC reviewed the latest science and affirms that cloth face coverings are a critical […]The post Wearing masks to prevent COVID-19 spread: ‘Cloth face coverings are one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up on the dengue fever situation in Thailand, the Bureau of Epidemiology reported an additional 2,600 cases and five deaths in the past week. This brings the country’s total to 28,300 through July 13 from all 77 provinces. The death count from dengue has risen to 20. Chaiyaphum, Mae Hong Son, […]The post Thailand reports 2600 additional dengue cases in the past week, 5 more deaths appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Health officials in China are reporting dozens of cases of the tick-borne disease, Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS), according to a Global Times report. SFTS has caused five deaths and hospitalized 23 people in Jinzhai county of the city of Lu’an since April. A disease control staffer from the Lu’an health commission […]The post China: Dozens of tick-borne disease, SFTS, reported in Anhui Province appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Health officials with the the Eleventh Sanitary Region have reported 45 COVID-19 cases associated with the Luque supermarket, El Cacique. Health director, Roque Silva said more than 90% of the cases of Covid-19 active in the city of Luque , Central Department, arose from the outbreak at the supermarket. “Inside the supermarket there was a very […]The post Paraguay reports dozens in COVID-19 outbreak linked to Luque supermarket appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a retrospective study, investigators from New York University Langone Health found that the quantity of SARS-CoV-2 (viral load) collected from patients in the emergency department is significantly higher in patients with fewer or milder symptoms who did not require hospitalization–the opposite of what might be expected. Reporting in The American Journal of Pathology, published by […]The post COVID-19 study: Patients with milder symptoms have a higher viral load when diagnosed and may carry a higher virus shedding risk potential appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In Mexico to date, 304,435 cases and 35,491 deaths from COVID-19 have been confirmed. The five entities with the highest number of accumulated cases are: Mexico City, State of Mexico, Tabasco, Puebla and Veracruz. Mexico City continues to record the most cases in the country (58,114) and represents by itself almost a fifth […]The post Mexico COVID-19 cases top 300,000, Nearly a fifth in Mexico City appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A multidisciplinary team from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston has uncovered a new mechanism for designing antiviral drugs for dengue virus. The study is currently available in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Dengue virus is a very important mosquito-transmitted viral pathogen, causing 390 million human infections each year. Dengue is common […]The post UTMB researchers have discovered a new antiviral mechanism for dengue therapeutics appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews For the fifth week in a row, Singapore surpassed 1,000 dengue fever cases, in fact, last week saw 1678 cases, by far a new weekly record. Through July 13, officials have reported 17,249 total dengue cases, more than the total cases in all of 2019 (15,998). Experts have been predicting for weeks that […]The post Singapore dengue cases top 17,000, More than 2019 total, Enforcement and penalties appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Critically ill COVID-19 patients who received a single dose of a drug that calms an overreacting immune system were 45% less likely to die overall, and more likely to be out of the hospital or off a ventilator one month after treatment, compared with those who didn’t receive the drug, according to a new study […]The post Tocilizumab linked to 45% lower risk of dying among critically ill COVID-19 patients appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A team led by scientists at Scripps Research has discovered a common molecular feature found in many of the human antibodies that neutralize SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The scientists, whose study appears July 13 in Science, reviewed data on nearly 300 anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies that their labs and others have found in convalescent COVID-19 patients over the […]The post Scientists discover key element of strong antibody response to COVID-19 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Lice Clinics of America (LCA) reported last week that they saw a significant increase in head lice activity through their network of clinics in the US in April and May during the COVID-19 pandemic. Joining me on today’s show is Krista Lauer, MD, National Medical Director of Lice Clinics of America. Dr. Lauer discussed some […]The post Head lice activity is up in the US in the time of the pandemic appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Iceland Directorate of Health reports a substantial increase in sexually transmitted infections, with syphilis cases more than doubling during the first six months of 2020. From January to June this year, Iceland has reported 43 syphilis cases while cases of gonorrhea are also up during the first half of the year. Most syphilis and gonorrhea […]The post Syphilis cases double in Iceland appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

As the number of young adults infected with the coronavirus surges throughout the nation, a new study by researchers at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals indicates that youth may not shield people from serious disease. The study looked at data drawn from a nationally representative sample of approximately 8,400 men and women ages 18 to 25 […]The post Severe COVID-19: Smoking habits trump asthma, obesity in risk factors for otherwise healthy population appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In an update on the plague cases in western Mongolia, the National Center for Zoonotic Diseases reported that a 15-year-old boy had died of suspected bubonic plague in Gobi-Altai province. Two cases of bubonic plague have been confirmed recently in the neighboring province of Khovd. According to the NCZD, immunization against marmot plague […]The post Mongolia: Plague death reported, Immunization campaign underway appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up on the diphtheria outbreak in Central Highlands province, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health coordinated with the People’s Committee of Gia Lai Province to organize a vaccination campaign against diphtheria epidemic in 4 provinces in the Central Highlands region, including: Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Kon Tum and Dak Nong. The campaign […]The post Diphtheria outbreak in Vietnam: 68 cases in the Central Highlands region, Vaccination campaign launched appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Health officials in Jefferson County, CO have reported a plague positive squirrel in the town of Morrison, less than 20 miles from Denver. This is the first case of plague (organism is Yersinia pestis) in the county this year. Health officials note that humans may be infected with plague through bites from infected fleas, […]The post Plague infected squirrel detected in central Colorado appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Russian officials report Thursday that 10 people from Altai Republic, near the Mongolian border, were hospitalized with trichinosis after consuming undercooked bear cub. The regional office of Rospotrebnadzor said, “Not all bears, of course, are infected with Trichinella. But this sometimes happens, there were simply no such massive cases. We are in control of the […]The post Russia: Trichinosis sends 10 people to the hospital after eating undercooked bear appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Mexico just recently surpassed the United Kingdom as #7 on the list of countries with the most COVID-19 cases (295,268 and 34,730 deaths as of this writing). However, a statistic that is arguably more alarming in Mexico is the mortality of doctors and other health workers in the country is the highest in […]The post COVID-19 in Mexico: ‘The most dangerous country for doctors’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up on the dengue fever situation in south Florida, the Florida Department of Health in Monroe County are reporting three additional locally transmitted dengue fever infections. This brings the number of autochthonous dengue cases to 14 in Monroe County (Florida Keys) and 15 total in the state in 2020. Dengue can […]The post Dengue in Florida: 3 additional locally transmitted cases reported in Monroe County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Clemson University Livestock Poultry Health (LPH) reported Friday on the first case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in South Carolina this year. “The infected horse, a 15-month-old Tennessee Walking Horse stallion from Marion County, had not been vaccinated and had to be euthanized,” said Sean Eastman, a veterinarian and LPH Animal Health Programs […]The post South Carolina: First EEE case reported in Marion County horse appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Officials with the Okinawa government report that more than 60 U.S. forces stationed at U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and Camp Hansen have tested positive for COVID-19. The Marine Corps said it “experienced two localized clusters of individuals who tested positive for the virus” and that all personnel who tested positive for […]The post Okinawa: Scores of COVID-19 cases reported on US bases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.