Outbreak News Today

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Spain’s Ministry of Health reported an additional 4499 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the country total to 191,726. In addition, the death toll has risen to 20,043 as of Friday. The Madrid Autonomous Community has reported 52,946 cases, followed by Catalonia with 39,943 and Castilla la Mancha with 16,349. […]The post Spain COVID-19 death toll tops 20,000, More than 900K tests performed appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

On Thursday, President Donald J. Trump and members of his Administration hosted phone calls with Republican and Democrat Members of the House of Representatives and Senate serving on the Opening Up America Again Congressional Group. One of the members asked to be on the bipartisan congressional task force was U.S. Senator and physician Rand Paul […]The post COVID-19: Dr Rand Paul appointed to Opening Up America Again Congressional Group appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews During the first 15 weeks of 2020, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has reported 1,126,481 total dengue fever cases in the countries of the Americas. About one-third of these cases (365,699) are laboratory confirmed. This total is actually higher than the same period in 2019 (939,000). 2020 was a record dengue year […]The post Dengue fever: More than 1 million cases reported in the Americas, Most in Brazil and Paraguay appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Influenza Forecasting Center of Excellence team at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is developing a COVID-19 forecast hub by unifying multiple models in an effort to produce a more accurate picture of the potential impacts of the novel coronavirus. This “ensemble approach,” which has created some of the most accurate forecasts for seasonal influenza, […]The post COVID-19 modeling: UMass Amherst develops forecast hub appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Georgia, a country situated at the juncture of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, reported the first case of COVID-19 on Feb. 26. Since that time, the total case count has reached 370, including three deaths. The Government declared a State of Emergency for a period of one month on 21 March, imposing different restrictions and measures. […]The post Georgia COVID-19 cases now 370, Total ban on all vehicle movement imposed appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported 10 additional confirmed Lassa fever cases the week ending April 12, bringing the country total to 973 since the beginning of the year. Director general of the NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, said it’s the largest Lassa fever outbreak ever reported in any country, ‘anywhere in the […]The post Nigeria reports 10 additional Lassa fever cases: ‘It’s the largest Lassa fever outbreak ever reported’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

An investigational vaccine called ChAdOx1 MERS protected two groups of rhesus macaques from disease caused by Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). MERS-CoV is a relative of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). National Institutes of Health scientists and colleagues are pursuing similar studies with ChAdOx1 SARS2, […]The post NIH: Investigational vaccine neutralizes multiple MERS-CoV strains appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The number of cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) increased by some 3380 cases in the past day, bringing the country total to 133,830, according to the Robert Koch Institut today. The deaths increased to 3,868 (2.9 % death rate). The bulk of the cases were reported in Bavaria (36,027), North Rhine-Westphalia (27,030) and […]The post Germany COVID-19: ‘The infection numbers have sunk significantly’, Outbreak ‘under control’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Three Boston University computer scientists and engineers are working on a smartphone app that could let people know if they have come in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, while protecting the privacy of all parties. Ran Canetti, Ari Trachtenberg, and Mayank Varia have teamed up with researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and other […]The post COVID-19: Contact tracing smartphone app warns of exposure while protecting privacy appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Infectious disease scientists report early development of a potential universal vaccine for Ebola viruses that preclinical tests show might neutralize all four species of these deadly viruses infecting people in recent outbreaks, mainly in Africa. Scientists at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center report their preclinical results in the Journal of Virology, published by the American Society for Microbiology. Although […]The post Universal vaccine for Ebola viruses: May fight all four virus species that infect humans according to early preclinical tests appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Nearly two thirds of severely ill patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who received remdesivir on a compassionate-use basis improved, with no new concerns about safety reported during the short clinical study. That’s the preliminary results of the first clinical trial of the promising antiviral therapy remdesivir conducted at UC Davis Health and other hospitals in the […]The post Remdesivir improved majority of patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Philippines Department of Health (DOH) reported 207 additional coronavirus disease, or COVID-19 cases and 13 deaths today. This brings the country total to 5660 cases and 362 deaths. DOH explained this week the testing protocol saying that assessment by a licensed health professional remains a prerequisite before one could get tested for […]The post Philippines COVID-19: 200 additional cases reported, Testing protocol explained appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Malaysia Ministry of Health (MOH) reported an additional 110 new cases of coronavirus disease, or COVID-19 cases today, bringing the country total to 5,182. The death toll increased by one as a 66-year-old Malaysian citizen with a history of heart disease and hypertension died at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital Wednesday. This brings […]The post Malaysia reports 80 percent of COVID-19 deaths had chronic diseases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Kenji Sukeno, the President of FUJIFILM Corporation announced Wednesday that it has expanded its manufacturing capacity at FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd. to significantly increase production of its influenza antiviral drug “Avigan® Tablet” (generic name: favipiravir) for treating patients with COVID-19. To further boost the supply of Avigan, Fujifilm is allocating additional capacity at its FUJIFILM Wako Pure […]The post Japan: Influenza antiviral drug Avigan production ramped up for COVID-19 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services are reporting 28,059 coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19 cases through April 15, including 1,921 deaths. Wayne County has seen nearly 900 deaths. As of Wednesday, Detroit has 7,020 cases and 424 deaths in the city alone. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the […]The post Michigan COVID-19: Death toll nears 2,000, 900 in Wayne County; Ivermectin warning appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Development of antibody research may help prevent sepsis induced by COVID-19 Sepsis is a life-threatening illness caused by the human body’s immune response to infection, however if the body overreacts it can lead to death. Nearly 270,000 deaths occur in the United States annually related to sepsis. The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research scientists have discovered the development […]The post COVID-19 and sepsis death – New research points to potential treatments appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Temple University Hospital has treated the first patient in the United States in the BREATHE clinical trial evaluating the impact of intravenous treatment with gimsilumab on mortality for patients with COVID-19 and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Gerard J. Criner, MD, FACP, FACCP, Chair and Professor of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery at the Lewis Katz School […]The post Temple University: 1st US patient treated with gimsilumab in trial for patients with COVID-19 and ARDS appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews On Wednesday, New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced 11,571 additional confirmed cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 213,779 confirmed cases in New York State. New York City has reported 118,302 cases and 8,455 deaths todate. Cuomo also said he will issue an Executive Order requiring all people in […]The post New York COVID-19: 11.5K new cases, Executive order to wear masks, antibody tests appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Peru Ministry of Health (Minsa) reported Tuesday that the total COVID-19 cases reported in the country has reached 10,303. Lima continues to be the region with the highest number of COVID-19 infected to date with 7,476. More than 102,000 people have been tested to date, with more than 10,000 tests performed yesterday. […]The post Peru COVID-19 cases top 10,000, Lima most affected region appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Ever since the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2, scientists have been scrambling to identify the species of origin to understand how the new coronavirus first leapt from its animal hosts to humans, causing the current pandemic infecting more than a million people worldwide. Scientists have been looking for an intermediate animal host between bats, which are […]The post Origin of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: 1st snakes, then pangolins, now stray dogs appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

On Tuesday, several international organizations issued a joint statement concerning measles immunization campaigns that are being postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic as the risk for measles. “As COVID-19 continues to spread globally, over 117 million children in 37 countries may miss out on receiving life-saving measles vaccine. Measles immunization campaigns in 24 countries have already […]The post Measles risk: 117 million children in 37 countries may miss out on receiving vaccine as COVID-19 spreads appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up on the Ebola outbreak situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), officials have now reported two new confirmed cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), bringing the total to three since the first confirmed case in 52 days was reported on April 10. The latest case, a seven-year-old girl, […]The post Ebola: DRC outbreak continues to be Public Health Emergency of International Concern appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

For the first time, the international community is on Tuesday celebrating World Chagas Disease Day to raise awareness of this neglected and entirely treatable tropical disease. “The only way to keep people safe from Chagas disease is to stop its transmission. It’s known as a silent disease because it can live quietly in the body until the […]The post World Chagas Disease Day: Raising awareness about the ‘silent and silenced disease’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Ministry of Health of South Sudan reported two confirmed yellow fever cases in Kajo Keni county, Central Equatoria State. The cases were identified through a cross-border rapid response team investigation mounted in response to the recently declared outbreak in bordering Moyo district, Uganda. The public health response to the outbreak includes: The […]The post Yellow fever outbreak in South Sudan appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Scientists at the University of Alberta have shown that the drug remdesivir is highly effective in stopping the replication mechanism of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, according to new research published today in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. The paper follows closely on research published by the same lab in late February that demonstrated how the drug worked against the […]The post Remdesivir effective against a key enzyme of coronavirus that causes COVID-19: University of Alberta researchers appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The FDA has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) to Rutgers’ RUCDR Infinite Biologics and its collaborators for a new collection approach that utilizes saliva as the primary test biomaterial for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, the first such approval granted by the federal agency. The new saliva collection method, which RUCDR developed in partnership with Spectrum Solutions and Accurate […]The post COVID-19 testing: FDA approves saliva collection test from Rutgers appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs reported today a sailor assigned to the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) who was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the U.S. Naval Hospital Guam April 9 died of COVID-related complications April 13. The Sailor, tested positive for COVID-19 March 30, was removed from the ship and […]The post USS Theodore Roosevelt outbreak: Sailor dies from COVID-19 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Eli Lilly and Company announced Friday it has entered into an agreement with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to study baricitinib as an arm in NIAID’s Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial. The study will investigate the efficacy and safety of baricitinib as a potential treatment for hospitalized patients diagnosed […]The post COVID-19 therapies: Eli Lilly begins clinical testing for Baricitinib, Anti-Ang2 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

CalciMedica Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company targeting calcium release-activated calcium (CRAC) channels for the treatment of acute and severe inflammatory diseases, today announced it has received a “Study May Proceed” letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate the use of CM4620-IE in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia who are at risk […]The post FDA Grants CalciMedica Permission to Begin Dosing CM4620-IE in Patients with Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia under a Newly Opened IND appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Louisiana health officials are today reporting 20,595 COVID-19 cases and 840 deaths. In the City of New Orleans, 5600 residents have tested positive, with 235 deaths recorded. On Friday, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards announced the creation of the Louisiana COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, which will look at how health inequities are affecting […]The post Louisiana COVID-19: 5600 cases in New Orleans, Health Equity Task Force created appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Case counts The City of Milwaukee has reported 1,279 confirmed cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and 58 deaths, as of Saturday. Statewide, Wisconsin has reported 3341 cases, including 974 hospitalizations and 144 deaths. $4.8 Million in Grants Last week, the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment (AHW) announced the award of nearly $4.8 million in […]The post Milwaukee COVID-19 cases near 1300, $5 million in grants for Wisconsin response appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Researchers led by the Global Health Program, Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute published a study in PLoS One last week which looks at the detection of novel coronaviruses found in bats in Myanmar. Here is the abstract: The recent emergence of bat-borne zoonotic viruses warrants vigilant surveillance in their natural hosts. Of […]The post 6 novel coronaviruses detected in Myanmar bats appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Pakistan health officials reported an additional 250 new cases in the last 24 hours. This brings the country total to 5,038 as of 10 April. The most affected province due to COVID-19 virus is Punjab 2,425, followed by Sindh 1,318. 86 deaths have been reported. A number of developments have occurred recently in […]The post Pakistan COVID-19 cases top 5,000 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and people who currently smoke may have higher levels of a molecule, called angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE-2), in their lungs according to a study published in the European Respiratory Journal Thursday. Previous research shows that ACE-2, which sits on the surface of lung cells, is the ‘entry point’ […]The post COPD and smokers: Risk of severe COVID-19 could be increased appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The national director of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap), Dr. Francisco Durán García, reported that of the 56 people confirmed this April 10 with COVID-19, 31 were asymptomatic, further denoting the importance of isolation social to avoid contagion and reduce its transmission. He pointed out that the number of tests carried out daily, […]The post Cuba: 56 additional COVID-19 cases reported, ‘It is a disease that can be stopped’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Yemen reported its first case of COVID-19 this week. The case was confirmed on 10 April in Hadhramout Governorate, a region under the control of Internationally Recognized Government. The World Health Organization is providing support to Yemen’s Ministry of Public Health and Population in the response. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on behalf […]The post Yemen reports 1st COVID-19 case, Temporary ceasefire announced appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up on the COVID-19 situation in Venezuela, as of April 10, 175 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed by authorities in Caracas and 21 states in the country, and nine deaths have been reported. The Venezuelan government instituted the following preventive measures to contain the transmission: Preventive social quarantine in the […]The post Venezuela’s COVID-19 preventive measures appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews On Jan. 21, Washington State became the first state to report a coronavirus disease case in the United States. As of April 9, state officials have reported nearly 10,000 cases and 475 deaths. King and Snohomish counties have reported the most cases with 4047 and 1743, respectively. Earlier this week, Gov. Jay Inslee announced […]The post Washington COVID-19 case count, DOD field hospital being returned appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up on the COVID-19 outbreak in Ecuador, the National Institute for Public Health Research (INSPI) are reporting 7,257 cases as of today. Inspi is the only laboratory in the country that can perform and deliver positive or negative coronavirus results. Seventy-three percent, or 5,290 cases have been reported in Guayas province. […]The post Ecuador COVID-19 cases top 7,000, More than 600 health professionals join the fight appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Glenn Laverack, PhD The ongoing pandemic of the COVID-19 coronavirus is the largest since the ‘Spanish Flu’ 100 years ago and probably the single largest public health intervention ever. Until an effective vaccine or treatment is available the coronavirus can only be halted by enabling people to take more control over their lives, individually and […]The post Communities and COVID-19: Perspectives from a health promotion expert appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Brazil Ministry of Health is now reporting more than 1,000 deaths due to coronavirus disease, or COVID-19. Through Friday, 1068 deaths have been recorded. 77% occurred in people over 60 years of age and 74% of the total victims had at least one risk factor. São Paulo has reported the most deaths […]The post Brazil COVID-19 deaths top 1000, One million tests distributed appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said today they are concerned about the health of consumers who may self-medicate by taking ivermectin products intended for animals, thinking they can be a substitute for ivermectin intended for humans–prompting them to issue a safety alert. The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has recently become aware […]The post FDA warning: Ivermectin meant for animals are not for human treatment for COVID-19 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Today, the Ministry of Health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced a new Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) case (see press release below). The new confirmed case was reported in a 26-year-old man in the city of Beni in the north eastern province of Nord-Kivu. The case occurred two days before […]The post Ebola case reported in DRC, 2 days before calling end to epidemic appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Mariia Ovodiuk A novel study by Chinese investigators suggests that SARS-CoV-2 may have the ability to dissociate iron from the porphyrin and bond with porphyrin itself. The alterations in the hemoglobin function, investigators claim, can be the cause of the additional lung damage and respiratory distress. Moreover, the ubiquitous nature of the porphyrin in […]The post New mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis: Viral bonding with porphyrin and alteration of heme metabolism appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The National IHR Focal Point of Saudi Arabia reported 18 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection in February 2020. The cases were reported from Riyadh (seven cases), Hafer Albatin (two cases), Najran (two cases), Eastern (two cases), Aljouf (one case), Makkah (one case), Hail (one case), Taif (one case) and Jeddah […]The post Saudi Arabia reports 18 additional MERS cases in February appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Health officials in Iceland say that data suggests that the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country is showing clear signs of deceleration, reporting 295 cases in the past week and 363 recoveries. Mr. Thorolfur Gudnason, Chief Epidemiologist in Iceland advises that the apparent success is precarious, and minor setbacks can change the outlook […]The post Iceland reports a slowing of COVID-19, ‘We anticipate being able to slowly ease the social distancing measures’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Philippines Department of Health (DOH) reported an additional 206 coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19 cases Thursday, bringing the country total to 4,076. In addition, 21 more deaths were reported today putting the number of fatalities to 203. Also on Thursday, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has started distributing the Personal Protective […]The post Philippines COVID-19 cases top 4,000, Update on PPE delivery appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

As COVID-19 testing becomes more widely available, it’s vital that health care providers and public health officials understand its limits and the impact false results can have on efforts to curb the pandemic. A special article published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings calls attention to the risk posed by overreliance on COVID-19 testing to make clinical and public […]The post COVID-19 testing: False-negative test results may lead to false sense of security appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A novel clinical trial developed by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine launched today at UPMC to address one of the most important debates during the COVID-19 pandemic: How should doctors decide between quickly adopting new therapies, such as the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine, and waiting until they are tested in longer clinical […]The post UPMC led global trial fast tracks testing of hydroxychloroquine, other COVID-19 therapies appeared first on Outbreak News Today.