Outbreak News Today

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Philippines has battled a number of outbreaks and/or health situations in 2019 to include dengue fever, diphtheria, measles and polio. Below is some updated data from the UN: Dengue fever Philippines health officials declared a dengue fever epidemic in August and since that time the number of cases have more than doubled. To […]The post Philippines: Dengue epidemic largest in 10 years, Diphtheria cases up and measles cases declining appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews UN health officials released the latest dengue fever numbers for the Region of the Americas recently and the the total cases now stand at 2,668,877, including 1,162 deaths. Brazil has reported more than 1 million dengue cases in a year several times–1.5 million in 2016, 1.65 million in 2015 and 1.47 million in […]The post Dengue: Brazil tops 2 million cases in 2019, Mexico cases double from last year appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Canadian health officials report investigating an outbreak of Salmonella infections occurring in Ontario and Quebec. Based on the investigation findings to date, exposure to Filicetti brand Italian Style mild, dry, cured sausage has been identified as a source of the outbreak. Some of the individuals who became sick reported eating Filicetti brand Italian Style mild, dry, cured […]The post Canada: Salmonella outbreak linked to Filicetti brand Italian Style sausage appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews There are a number of infectious disease outbreaks currently in Ethiopia–chikungunya, cholera, dengue fever and measles–and here’s an update: Chikungunya The latest numbers from officials in Ethiopia show that the outbreak in Dire Dawa has grown to 51,361 cases, with no deaths, since it started in August. Cholera Since the first case of […]The post Ethiopia chikungunya cases top 50,000, Measles and cholera updates appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Measles The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reports investigating the 19th measles case of the year in a county resident. Other people may have been exposed to measles since public locations were visited by the person with measles while infectious. The potential public exposure locations, days and times were as follows: […]The post Measles case visited Disneyland, 1st flu death in Los Angeles appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up to a report earlier this month, Paca Regional Health Agency (ARS) and Public Health France are reporting (computer translated) a second locally acquired Zika virus case in Hyères city, Var department. The individual lived in the same neighborhood as the first case and was found during an Oct 10 survey […]The post 2nd indigenous Zika case reported in Hyères, France appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews City of Lubbock, TX health officials are reporting a increase in shigellosis cases. Between September and October 2019, 21 cases of shigellosis have been reported. During the same time period in 2018 no cases were reported and three total for the year. Clinical manifestations of shigellosis range from watery or loose stools with […]The post Texas: Lubbock reports shigellosis increase during the past month appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Nigeria health officials reported five new confirmed monkeypox cases in September, as the country continues to report sporadic cases for the past two years. In September, 15 new suspected monkeypox cases were reported from five States – Lagos (5), Rivers (2), Akwa Ibom (3), Zamfara (1), Delta (1), Imo (2) and the Federal […]The post Nigeria: More monkeypox reported in September 2019 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Researchers at Stockholm University have developed a method for statistically predicting impacts of climate change on outbreaks of tularemia in humans. The study has been published in the journal International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The results show that tularemia may become increasingly common in the future in high-latitude regions. As the average annual […]The post Increased risk of tularemia as the climate changes appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews A Synchronized Polio Vaccination campaign began Monday in Lanao del Sur and other areas in Mindanao. Lanao del Sur is where the first confirmed case of vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (VDPV2) was reported back in September. The Synchronized Polio Vaccination campaign aims to boost immunization coverage against polio by giving three doses of […]The post Philippines: Polio vaccination campaign in Lanao del Sur appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Michigan health officials report in a Weekly Arbovirus report Monday that 10 human Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) cases have been reported from six counties– (1 Barry, 2 Berrien, 1 Calhoun, 2 Cass, 3 Kalamazoo, and 1 Van Buren). Of this total, five have died. In addition, 40 animals have tested positive for EEE. […]The post MIchigan: 5th EEE fatality reported appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In an update on the plague cluster in Ituri Province in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UN officials report a total of 31 cases and eight deaths since the beginning of the year. The first five cases were reported during week 10 in the Aungba health zone, which is in […]The post Plague update for Ituri Province, DRC appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Cook Islands Ministry of Health reported nine dengue fever cases in the month of September, bringing the outbreak total this year to 91. A Dengue-type1 outbreak was declared on the 27th of February 2019 following a laboratory confirmation of seven dengue-type1 cases. The northern part of the island of Rarotonga, is still […]The post Cook Islands see nine additional dengue cases in September appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Dengue fever Officials are reporting a seasonal spike in dengue fever cases in Yemen in 2019. There have been 14,540 suspected cases of dengue fever, with 79 associated deaths recorded since the beginning of the year, more cases than in previous years. Southern governorates are mainly affected, with 88 districts reporting suspected dengue […]The post Yemen reports dengue increase in 2019, Cholera update appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Malaysia Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a confirmed Zika virus in a patient from Perak state. This is the first case reported in the country since 2016. According to officials, the 30-year-old man presented with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea on Sep. 26 and was admitted to the hospital the next day. […]The post Malaysia confirms 1st Zika case since 2016 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews For the first time, health officials have reported a confirmed dengue fever case in Afghanistan. According to the World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, the 21-year-old patient reported with travel history to India during the incubation period was admitted to an infectious diseases hospital in Kabul for treatment. The case […]The post Afghanistan reports 1st dengue fever case appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In an update on the leishmaniasis situation in Kenya, officials reported an additional 24 cases during the week ending Oct. 6. This brings the total cases reported in 2019 to 2,696, including 34 deaths. Since the beginning of the outbreak, suspected and confirmed cases of leishmaniasis have been reported from Mandera, Marsabit, Wajir […]The post Kenya leishmaniasis update: Two dozen cases reported in past week appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Indiana health officials reported that a Elkhart County resident contracted the mosquito-borne viral infection, Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), the first human case in the Hoosier state in 21 years. The individual died from the viral infection. This is the first human case in Indiana since 1998 and only the fourth reported since 1964. […]The post Indiana reports 1st human EEE case in more than 20 years appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Indian health officials reported an additional 24,091 dengue fever cases via rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and 17,067 ELISA positive cases in the past three weeks, In 2019 through Oct. 12, 89,798 RDT positive and 42,817 ELISA positive cases have been reported. The officials death toll stands at 151. States that have reported the […]The post India dengue update through October 12 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Outbreak update In an update on the dengue outbreak in the Philippines, during the week ending Sep. 21, officials reported an additional 8,856 dengue cases nationally. This brings the total for 2019 to 322,693 cases, including 1,272 deaths. This is higher compared to 149,849 cases with 774 deaths reported during the same period […]The post Philippines dengue outbreak rises, Duterte’s daughter recovering appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up on the dengue fever situation in Florida in 2019, health officials in Miami-Dade County are reporting two additional locally acquired dengue fever cases. The newly confirmed cases had no recent travel history, with one linked to the same household as a previous local case and the other linked to the […]The post Miami reports 2 additional local dengue cases, brings total to 10 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews It’s been a tough year for Pakistan and the capital city of Karachi, in particular when it comes to infectious disease outbreaks in 2019. In this video, I look at the dengue fever outbreak, the extensively drug resistant (XDR) Salmonella Typhi outbreak, the Naegleria fowleri situation in Karachi, malaria, the mysterious HIV outbreak […]The post Pakistan outbreaks 2019: Dengue, typhoid, HIV and more appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In this news brief, I look at several US East Coast universities and colleges reporting mumps outbreaks in recent weeks. I look at the schools that span from South Carolina to Pennsylvania–the College of Charleston, Elon University, High Point University, Ferrum College and Moravian College. I also go over some basics on mumps […]The post Mumps outbreaks on US East Coast universities appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In September, the Davao City Health Office (CHO) confirmed that water sampling from the Davao River that was submitted to Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) for analysis and tested positive for circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2. No human infections have been reported in Davao. Health officials say the revival of type 2 […]The post Polio vaccination campaign to begin Monday in Davao appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In 2018, Sri Lanka health officials reported 51,659 total dengue fever cases for the year. As of early October 2019, that number has been topped. The Epidemiology Unit for the Ministry of Health have reported 53,689 cases through Oct. 11. Colombo (11272), Gampaha (8718), Kalutara (5322) and Galle (5077) districts have reported the most […]The post Dengue in Sri Lanka: 2019 numbers eclipse last year’s figures appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Health officials in Karachi, Pakistan have reported five deaths in children over the past 15 days due to vaccine-preventable diseases. The News reports at least three children have died due to diphtheria while tetanus has claimed two lives. “We have so far admitted 11 confirmed cases of diphtheria, a life-threatening and highly contagious […]The post Karachi: Diphtheria, tetanus kills 5 in past two weeks appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews New Hampshire health officials are asking the public’s help locating a man from Massachusetts who came in contact with a baby raccoon, which later died from rabies in Conway, New Hampshire on Friday, September 20th. This man is being sought to assess his risk for rabies and determine the need for treatment to […]The post Massachusetts man sought over rabies exposure in Conway, New Hampshire appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Swedish health authorities, or Folkhalsomyndigheten are reporting 17 additional Salmonella Typhimurium cases in the current outbreak, bringing the total outbreak cases to 71 since August. The outbreak has affected 11 Swedish counties with Västra Götaland, Jönköping, Halland and Dalarna reporting the most. The Swedish National Food Agency and the Public Health Agency continue […]The post Sweden salmonella outbreak grows to 71 cases, Tomatoes are the likely source appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Health officials in South Africa are reporting a measles outbreak in Rustenburg sub-district, Bojanala Platinum district in North West province. Over that past month, three laboratory-confirmed measles cases were detected, which constitutes an outbreak. Community engagement activities are being organised ahead of a planned vaccination campaign in Rustenburg sub-district and other sub-districts in […]The post South Africa: Measles outbreak reported in North West province appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Massachusetts health officials reported this week on an additional human West Nile virus (WNV) case in a man in his 60s from Middlesex County. This is the third human case reported in the state in 2019. The other two human cases of WNV this season involved a man in his 60s from Middlesex […]The post Massachusetts reports 3rd human West Nile virus case appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) reported three additional wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases during the past week in Pakistan, The cases were seen in Karachi Orangi in Sindh province, Jafarabad in Balochistan province and Torghar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. This brings the total in Pakistan to 72 in 2019 to date. […]The post Pakistan records three additional wild poliovirus cases, Most cases in years appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up on the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak associated with the NC Mountain State Fair, North Carolina health officials report that as of Oct. 9, 134 cases of Legionnaires’ disease or Pontiac Fever have been confirmed in residents of multiple states and North Carolina counties who attended the 2019 NC Mountain State Fair, […]The post North Carolina Legionnaire’s disease outbreak: 2nd death reported appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Pakistani health officials reported Friday on an additional Naegleria fowleri, or “brain-eating amoeba” death in Karachi. The 19-year-old victim is is the 15th fatality this year. According to a Urdu Point report, teh father of the deceased said that the water tanker service were the main source of water supply to their home and the entire locality […]The post Pakistan: 15th Naegleria fowleri death reported in Karachi appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Some 300,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with Lyme disease every year. Caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted by the bite of infected Ixodes ticks, the disease if left untreated can cause serious neurologic, cardiac, and/or rheumatologic complications. Current testing for Lyme disease, called the standard 2-tiered approach or the STT, involves running two […]The post Lyme disease rapid test: Diagnosis in 15 minutes appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews French health officials reported (computer translated) the first autochthonous Zika case of the year. The case was confirmed in Hyères city, Var department in southeastern France. The patient had no recent history of travel outside the country. The Regional Health Agency, Public Health France and the Mediterranean Interdepartmental Agreement for Mosquito Control (EID) […]The post France reports 1st local Zika virus case of 2019 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Thailand Bureau of Epidemiology released the latest chikungunya case numbers this week and the tally has eclipsed the 8,000 mark. Through Oct. 6, officials report 8,104 cases of the mosquito-borne disease from 52 provinces. Pattani, Ranong, Tak, Phuket and Songkhla provinces continue to report the highest incidence of the mosquito-borne infection in […]The post Thailand chikungunya cases top 8,000 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) is investigating an additional confirmed case of measles in a Los Angeles County resident. Public Health is looking to identify others who are at risk for measles. Public Health urges residents, especially those who travel internationally and those who have not been fully […]The post LA County reports 18th measles case of the year appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Individuals and parents have become increasingly wary about vaccines and confidence in them has dropped to an all-time low. During this crisis of trust, vaccination and infectious disease scientists and academics are struggling to reach parents and reassure them that vaccines are safe and effective. Katy Peters, a nurse and authority on immunisations and travel […]The post Global Vaccination Summit begins Monday to fight vaccine hesitancy appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Ireland Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) in Dublin is reporting an significant increase in typhoid fever cases in 2019. Specifically, a large increase in typhoid cases have been reported among travelers returning from Pakistan. Historically, about nine cases of typhoid are reported annually in Ireland with India being the most common country […]The post Ireland reports increase in typhoid cases in 2019 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Boston city health officials issued a measles alert Thursday after the confirmation of a measles case in a resident. This is the first confirmed case of measles in a Boston resident since 2013. During the infectious period, the individual went to the following locations where other people may have been exposed: Friday, October […]The post Measles alert issued in Boston, 1st case in six years appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Robert Herriman @infectiousdiseasenews In this video, I look at four recent travel notices issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Travel notices that were issued include: Ethiopia due to the Chikungunya outbreak, Nigeria as they battle a yellow fever outbreak, polio in the Philippines and the large extensively drug-resistant (XDR) typhoid […]The post Travel notice: Ethiopia, Nigeria, the Philippines and Pakistan appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration allowed marketing of a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) to detect Ebola virus antigens (proteins) in human blood from certain living individuals and samples from certain recently deceased individuals suspected to have died from Ebola (cadaveric oral fluid). The OraQuick Ebola Rapid Antigen Test is the first rapid diagnostic test […]The post Rapid Ebola testing: FDA allows marketing of OraQuick Ebola Rapid Antigen Test appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The incidence of reported cases of tickborne diseases in the United States has significantly increased in recent years. It is expected to continue to grow as tick species expand their geographical reach and new tick-transmitted pathogens emerge, raising the potential for serious human illness and death. A new strategic research plan from the National Institutes […]The post Tickborne diseases: NIH unveils strategic research plan appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Antibiotic resistance is a one of the world’s most pressing public health problems. Army scientists have developed a new weapon to combat super-bugs, which could protect Soldiers and fight resistance. Bacteriophage, a virus that infects and replicates within bacteria, kill bacteria through different mechanisms than antibiotics, and they can target specific strains, making them an […]The post Bacteriophages, superbugs and the US soldier appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Federal health officials report investigating a Salmonella Oranienburg outbreak linked to contact with pet turtles. To date, 21 people have been infected with the outbreak strain from 13 states, including seven requiring hospitalization. No deaths have been reported. Interviews with ill people indicate that contact with pet turtles is the likely source of this […]The post Pet turtles linked to latest Salmonella outbreak appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The world’s largest measles outbreak has hit a couple of grim milestones, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported 203,179 cases of measles from all 26 provinces of the country, including 4,096 deaths. UNICEF says children under the age of five represent 74 percent of […]The post DRC measles outbreak: More than 200K cases, 4,000 deaths appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The growing appetite for animal protein in developing countries has resulted in a smorgasbord of antibiotic consumption for livestock that has nearly tripled the occurrence of antibiotic resistance in disease-causing bacteria easily transmitted from animals to humans, according to a recent report in the journal Science. Researchers from ETH Zurich, the Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI), and […]The post Antibiotic resistance in food animals nearly tripled since 2000 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Cornerstone Premium Foods of Syracuse, New York is recalling a specific lot of product containing frozen blackberries (noted below) due to the potential of being contaminated with Norovirus. FDA testing of frozen blackberries was reported to have tested positive for Norovirus. Norovirus is a highly contagious virus. Consumption of product contaminated with Norovirus may cause […]The post Norovirus prompts recall of frozen blackberries appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Malaysia Ministry of Health released an update on the rabies situation in Sarawak today. The rabies outbreak in Sarawak that was declared on July 1, 2017 is now entering its third year. The number of pet bites in dogs and cats is still high, averaging from 40 to 60 cases a day, […]The post Malaysia: Rabies situation in Sarawak appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Hawaii state health officials received notification from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of a laboratory-confirmed case of angiostrongyliasis, or rat lungworm disease, in an adult visitor to Hawai‘i Island. This is the seventh case reported in 2019–This includes three residents and four visitors all of which likely contracted the disease […]The post Hawaii reports 7th rat lungworm case of 2019 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.