Outbreak News Today

As coronavirus spreads across the globe via infected air travelers, authorities are attempting to contain the outbreak and avoid a pandemic. A study published in Risk Analysis analyzes the impact of implementing disease mitigation strategies at airports across the globe. The study finds that increasing traveler engagement with proper hand-hygiene at all airports has the […]The post Study shows increased hand hygiene at top 10 airports can reduce spread of coronavirus by 37 percent appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Health officials in England are reporting the 9th COVID-19 case in the country and the first in London. According to Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty: “One further patient in England has tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of cases in the UK to nine. “This virus was passed […]The post UK: 1st coronavirus case in London, China numbers skyrocket with ‘new category’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported Wednesday evening on an additional infection with 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States in California. The patient is among a group of people under a federal quarantine order because of their recent return to the U.S. on a State Department-chartered flight that […]The post 14th case of COVID-19 in the US appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up on the mumps outbreak at Louisiana State University (LSU), the Student Health Center has confirmed twelve student cases of mumps as of Feb. 12. According to the student newspaper, Reveille, 11 of the 12 students with mumps live off campus. The one student who lives on campus lives alone in […]The post Mumps: LSU outbreak grows to 12 cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Today, the Emergency Committee convened by the WHO Director-General under the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) met to review the current Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). To date, 3,432 confirmed and probable EVD cases, including 2,249 cumulative deaths have been recorded since the outbreak began […]The post Ebola outbreak remains a public health emergency of international concern appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) renewed their polio travel notice for Africa Tuesday. There are polio outbreaks in several countries in Africa. The following 15 countries have been reporting outbreaks: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, […]The post Africa: CDC issues travel notice for 15 countries due to polio outbreaks appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Brain-eating amoebae can cause particularly harmful forms of encephalitis, and more than 95% of people who develop these rare but devastating infections die. Despite the high mortality rate, there is currently no single effective drug available to fight these microbes. Now, however, researchers have designed some new compounds that show promise in the laboratory as […]The post Brain-eating amoeba: Researchers design new compounds that show promise in the laboratory as treatments appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Private insurance claim lines for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) rose 76 percent nationally from 2007 to 2018, according to a new study of STDs from FAIR Health, a national, independent nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing transparency to healthcare costs and health insurance information. The study results, which are being released today in the form of […]The post Sexually transmitted infections: Private insurance claim lines rose 76 percent from 2007 to 2018 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Center for Lyme Action, a leading nonprofit dedicated to growing federal funding for Lyme disease research, honored Members of Congress and Administration officials who have demonstrated extraordinary support in the push to cure Lyme Disease – the most prevalent vector-borne illness and the most prevalent tick-borne illness in the United States, with over 400,000 […]The post Senator Susan Collins and others honored at Lyme disease awards dinner appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A single strain of mumps virus has dominated the US since 2006, and is responsible for many of the large numbers of cases seen across the country in the widespread 2016-17 outbreaks. In a paper publishing February 11 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology, Pardis Sabeti from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and colleagues […]The post Mumps outbreaks in the US: Using genomic data to understand spread appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Swedish Public Health Authority reported this week that dozens of psittacosis, or parrot fever cases have been reported in recent months. Since September 2019, some 40 cases of parrot disease have been reported, mainly from the regions of Västra Götaland, Stockholm and Jämtland. Three-quarters of the cases are men and are mainly […]The post Sweden reports dozens of psittacosis cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Nomenclature There was some activity concerning the long awaited nomenclature for the 2019 novel coronavirus and it’s related disease. On Tuesday, following WHO best practices for naming of new human infectious diseases, which were developed in consultation and collaboration with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization […]The post COVID-19: New name, Updated case count appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Nipah virus is one of the deadliest viruses, which can kill up to 90 percent of those infected. In fact, the World Health Organization has placed Nipah virus on its 10 “most wanted” list of emerging viruses. Joining me today to talk more about Nipah virus and her research is Emily Gurley, PhD. Dr Gurley […]The post Nipah virus with Emily Gurley, PhD appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Rabies is still responsible for approximately 60,000 human deaths per year mostly in Asia and Africa and affects especially underserved people. Yet, since the first vaccine developed by Louis Pasteur more than 130 years ago, prophylactic measures have significantly improved. They are now composed of the vaccine allied to purified human or equine rabies immunoglobulins. […]The post Rabies: New prophylactic and therapeutic avenues appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In an update on the outbreak on Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported an increase in cases since yesterday’s update. As of Feb. 11, 345 of the 3035 passengers on the voyage, or 11.4 percent of the total and 26 of the 1161 crew members […]The post Caribbean Princess outbreak: Case count tops 350, Causative agent still not known appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Patients who underwent a stem cell transplant and received the Triplex vaccine to prevent a type of herpes virus – cytomegalovirus (CMV) – from duplicating out of control were 50% less likely to develop health complications related to the virus than patients who did not take Triplex, according to a City of Hope-led study published […]The post Triplex vaccine reduces rate of CMV complications in transplant recipients appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Officials with UC San Diego Health made the following statement on social media earlier this morning: We currently have two patients at UC San Diego Health from Miramar. One has tested positive for 2019-nCoV; the other is considered a person under investigation (PUI). Both patients are doing well and have minimal symptoms. UC […]The post Coronavirus case confirmed in San Diego County, 13th case in US appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Singapore The Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed two additional cases of 2019-nCoV infection in Singapore. Of these, one was on the evacuation flight from Wuhan on 30 January. Contact tracing of the other case is underway. This brings the total cases in Singapore to 45. Of the 23 locally transmitted cases, epidemiological […]The post 2019-nCoV: Singapore tally now 45, China death toll tops 1,000 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Department of Health in Huila department in southern Colombia has issued a health alert due to a dengue fever outbreak, according to a La Voz de la Region report (computer translated). According to epidemiological bulletin No. 5, health officials 1,628 cases, 814 with alarm signs and 26 cases of severe dengue as […]The post Dengue health alert issued in Huila, Colombia appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews New York State health officials say seasonal flu activity continues to increase across the state with at least one lab-confirmed case in all 62 counties. The number of laboratory-confirmed flu cases and hospitalizations continue to be widespread since the flu season began in October. Flu season occurs primarily from October through May, and […]The post New York continues to see increased seasonal flu activity appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A pathologist with New Hampshire Diagnostic Veterinary Lab at UNH recently diagnosed the fungal disease Valley fever in a rescue dog from Arizona. It is the first time the lab has diagnosed the ailment in a dog in the state. The disease, which is treatable, is endemic in the Southwest and rarely seen in native […]The post New Hampshire: Valley fever diagnosed in a rescue dog from Arizona appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In an update on the gastrointestinal outbreak onboard Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess February 2–16, 2020 voyage, federal health officials are reporting an increase in GI cases since the last report. Of the 3,035 passengers onboard, 299 illnesses are now being reported, or 9.9 percent of vacationers. Another 21 crewmembers have been sickened. The […]The post UPDATE: 10% of Caribbean Princess passengers sickened, Returning to Fort Lauderdale early appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Sri Lanka health authorities continue to report high levels of dengue fever into early 2020. As of February 10, the country’s Epidemiology Unit has reported 11,352 cases, about double that was reported during the same period in 2019. Two deaths have been reported from across the country by February 7, Epidemiology Unit sources […]The post Sri Lanka: Dengue cases top 11,000 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) situation in the United Kingdom, the Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty said today that four additional patients in England have tested positive for novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in the UK to eight. The new cases are all known contacts […]The post UK: Coronavirus cases rise to 8 in England, Diagnostic test rolls out today to 12 labs appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews According to the latest edition of the Epidemiological Bulletin of Syphilis (computer translated) of the Department of Chronic Conditions and Sexually Transmitted Infections (DCCI), of the Health Surveillance Secretariat (SVS), of the Ministry of Health (MS), 158,051 cases of syphilis were reported across the country in 2018, an increase of 28.3 percent over […]The post Brazil reports 28 percent increase in syphilis cases in 2018 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The number of people that have tested positive for the new coronavirus on a cruise ship docked at Yokohama Port has increased by 66, according to Japan’s health ministry. 136 people onboard Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess have tested positive for 2019-nCoV. The Diamond Princess was placed in quarantine for two weeks upon arriving […]The post Diamond Princess coronavirus cases now 136: Japan officials appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Ministry of Public Health of Thailand announced seven more laboratory-confirmed 2019-nCoV cases on Saturday– three are Thai nationals and four are visitors from China to Thailand. This puts the total to 32 confirmed cases– 23 Chinese visitors and 9 Thai nationals. One of the Thai cases is a man who was among […]The post Thailand records seven additional coronavirus cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Federal health officials report investigating a gastrointestinal disease outbreak on a Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess February 2–16, 2020 voyage. To date, 190 passengers and crew have experienced symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea. The exact etiology of the outbreak has not been determined. In response to the outbreak, Princess Cruises and crew aboard the […]The post Cruise ship outbreak: 190 sickened onboard Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Spain Health officials in Spain are reporting the second novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the country on Mallorca in Spain’s Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean (computer translated). According to Fernando Simón, director of the Center for Coordination of Alerts and Emergencies (CCAES), the case is a British citizen, who was in contact with a person […]The post 2019-nCoV: Spain reports 2nd case, England confirms 4th appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews UAE According to a United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Health & Prevention Facebook post yesterday, they announced today two new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases to seven in the country. The patients were identified through the continuous periodic screening being conducted in accordance with the standards of the […]The post Coronavirus: UAE reports more cases, Gates Foundation funding appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Malaysia Ministry of Health has reported one additional case of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), the 17th case reported to the National Crisis Preparedness and Response Center (CPRC) today. The new case is a 65-year-old Malaysian citizen who is the mother-in-law of the Malaysian citizen case reported on February 4, 2020 (the 9th […]The post Malaysia reports 17th novel coronavirus case, Testing expanded throughout country appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up on the 2019 novel coronavirus situation in Singapore, the Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed seven additional cases of infection. Of these, five are linked to previously announced cases. Among the new confirmed cases are a taxi driver and a private hire car driver. All seven cases had no recent travel history […]The post Singapore reports 7 additional coronavirus cases, brings total to 40 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Scientists have identified a key molecule involved in the development of cerebral malaria, a deadly form of the tropical disease. The study identifies a potential drug target and way forward toward alleviating this condition for which few targeted treatments are available. In studies with mice, investigators discovered that the EphA2 protein is important for onset […]The post Cerebral malaria: Utah study identifies a potential drug target appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Earlier this week, the Minister of Health, Elizabeth Hinostroza, announced that the Loreto, Madre de Dios and San Martín regions will be declared in a health emergency to combat the dengue outbreak, to prevent its spread and ensure care for affected people. “We have to remind citizens that deaths due to Dengue can […]The post Peru: MOH declares dengue health emergency in Loreto, Madre de Dios and San Martín regions appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Brazil Ministry of Health has begun to distribute the 128.6 million condoms purchased to guarantee the protection of those who participate in Carnival 2020 later this month. Officials say by the beginning of the Carnival period, all states in the country will be supplied. “We need to increasingly encourage the use of […]The post Brazil Carnival 2020: MOH distributes millions of condoms in attempt to prevent sexually transmitted infections appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Since November 2019, Public Health France reports investigating 13 cases of salmonellosis caused by Salmonella enterica serotype Dublin (S. Dublin) reported by the National Reference Center (CNR) of Salmonella (Institut Pasteur) due to the fact that the strains belong to the same genomic cluster. The outbreak has been linked to the consumption of raw […]The post France: Salmonella outbreak linked to raw milk Morbier appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In 2019, the countries in the Americas–South, Central and North America–saw the largest recorded number of cases in the history of dengue in the Americas. A total of 3,139,335 cases of dengue were reported (321.58 cases per 100,000 population), including 1,538 deaths, more than the number of cases reported in the 2015-2016 epidemic […]The post Dengue in the Americas: 34 countries reported increases in 2019 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Louisiana state health officials report investigating a norovirus outbreak in the Lake Charles area that appears to be spreading in the Calcasieu and Vernon Parishes. According to a KHOU 11 report, the outbreak is linked to an event at the L’Auberge Casino in Lake Charles. People of all ages can become ill from […]The post Norovirus outbreak in Louisiana: Linked to L’Auberge Casino in Lake Charles appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In Argentina, the Ministry of Health of Córdoba confirmed two cases of botulism in the province. According to a Cadenea 3 report (computer translated), the patients were visitors to the province who “bought pickled wild boar and got sick”. One of the patients was already transferred to common rooms and the other remains with […]The post Botulism: Two cases confirmed in Córdoba, Argentina; Linked to pickled wild boar appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Government officials in the governorate of Mopti are reporting seven human Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) deaths, according to Swiss Info report (computer translated). In the village of Samoa, 14 cases were detected and 7 people died. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is a widespread disease caused by a tick-borne virus (Nairovirus) of the Bunyaviridae family. The CCHF […]The post Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever: 7 deaths in Mali village appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA) is proud to announce that fifty outstanding Huntington’s disease (HD) care facilities are being awarded the designation of HDSA Centers of Excellence for 2020. The 2020 HDSA Centers of Excellence program expanded to 50 Centers from 47 in 2019, and from just 20 in 2015. The four new […]The post Huntington’s Disease: HDSA Centers of Excellence for 2020 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The investigational drug remdesivir, developed through research conducted through the Antiviral Drug Discovery and Development Center, or AD3C, and centered at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is being used to treat select infected patients in the United States and in China who have been affected by the outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). UAB was awarded a […]The post Antiviral drug, Remdesivir, being used for treatment of novel coronavirus appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Singapore Ministry of Health reported an additional three novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) cases today, all with no links to previous cases or travel history to China. This brings the total in the country to 33. Among the confirmed cases, two have been discharged. Of the remaining 31, most are stable or improving. Two […]The post Singapore coronavirus tally rises to 33, Step up risk assessment to DORSCON Orange appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Influenza A (H9) infection Hong Kong health officials reported an imported case of influenza A (H9) infection today. The patient, a 7-year-old boy with underlying illnesses, developed cough and runny nose since February 4 and fever on the next day. On February 5, he was brought to Wang Tau Hom Jockey Club General […]The post Hong Kong: Imported H9 influenza case, Coronavirus update appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews A lab-confirmed measles has been reported in Alberta, Canada. The individual has been in public settings in St. Albert and Edmonton while infectious. Individuals who were in the below noted locations during the specified dates and times, may have been exposed to measles: January 31: Exposure Location: Real Canadian Superstore 101 St Albert […]The post Measles case confirmed in Edmonton appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Its been about a month since my last podcast on the novel coronavirus and I thought it was time to revisit the topic as it becomes a bigger global issue. Joining me to talk about coronaviruses and the 2019 novel coronavirus is Rodney Rohde, PhD. Dr Rohde is a Professor Research Dean and Chair of […]The post Coronavirus Q&A with Rodney Rohde, PhD appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Pathogens don’t pay attention to international borders, with transmission and endemic areas often stretching between countries. In the new work, Moses Katabarwa of the Carter Center, USA, and colleagues report in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases the first known and successful coordinated cross-border mass drug administration (MDA) effort with ivermectin to stop onchocerciasis. Onchocerciasis is a tropical disease […]The post River blindness: First known, successful coordinated cross-border mass drug administration effort appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) situation in England, Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said today an additional patient has tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in the UK to 3. The individual did not acquire this in the UK. According to a BBC report, the […]The post England reports 3rd novel coronavirus case appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews UN health officials are reporting a dramatic decrease in measles cases in 2019, prompting officials to say the outbreak has been controlled. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reports: Between the onset of the outbreak in July 2017 and 2019, the country reported 7,054 confirmed cases and 84 deaths. In 2018, there were […]The post Venezuela: Measles cases drop 91 percent in 2019 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Eight additional wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases were reported last week–five for 2019 and three for 2020–in Pakistan. The cases were reported from Punjab province (2), Sindh province (4) and one each from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. This brings the number of cases in 2020 to 7 and 144 for 2019 in […]The post Polio: Pakistan reports 8 additional WPV1 cases, cVDPV case reported in Kinshasa appeared first on Outbreak News Today.