Outbreak News Today

Tropical Cyclone Idai made landfall near Beira City in central Mozambique on 14 March 2019. Initial reports indicate over 500 deaths, 1,500 injured and significant damage to infrastructure in Beira and surrounding areas. Nearly 140,000 people are currently housed in some 155 informal sites across Manica, Sofala, Tete and Zambezia Provinces, according to the UN […]The post Cholera cases top 1000 in Mozambique appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Thanks to vaccinations, cases of wild poliovirus globally have dropped dramatically. In the 1980s the estimated global number of paralytic cases was over 350,000 per year and the disease was still prevalent in 125 countries. Fast forward to 2018 and there was 33 cases in two of the three remaining endemic countries–Pakistan and Afghanistan. How […]The post Polio, Pakistan, the progress and difficulties with WHO spokesperson, Oliver Rosenbauer appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Jory Lange Kentucky’s E. coli outbreak has now reached Georgia, Ohio, and Tennessee. In Kentucky, the number of sick people has more than doubled. As of last Friday, 20 E coli O103 cases had been reported to public health authorities. As of Wednesday afternoon, 44 Kentuckians have contracted E. coli. Health investigators are continuing […]The post Kentucky’s E. coli Outbreak Reaches Georgia, Ohio, and Tennessee appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Ottawa health officials report investigating one confirmed case of measles in an individual who may not have received all of their required measles vaccines. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is working closely with local health care providers and hospitals to contact individuals and families who may have been exposed to the infectious case. People who were present at […]The post Ottawa health officials report on measles case appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Philippines health officials are reporting a dramatic increase in dengue fever cases during the first quarter of 2019, and say cases are expected to rise with the coming rainy season. According to the Department of Health (DOH), 48,634 dengue cases were reported in the first three months of 2019. including 184 deaths. This is up from 23,328 cases […]The post Philippines: Dengue cases more than double last year, Cases expected to rise with rainy season appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Since the first outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in Asia last August in Liaoning Province, China, hundreds of outbreaks have been in dozens of provinces in China, Mongolia and Vietnam. Now we learn of the first occurrence in neighboring Cambodia. According to the Director General , Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries , General Directorate of Animal Health […]The post African swine fever now reported in Cambodia appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the Brooklyn and Queens measles outbreak primarily involving members of the Orthodox Jewish community, New York City health officials reported an additional 45 cases in the past week. Since October 2018, there have been 259 confirmed cases of measles in Brooklyn and Queens. New cases were reported from the neighborhoods of Williamsburg (41), […]The post Measles: More cases reported in Brooklyn neighborhoods, Flushing appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The first clinical trial of an innovative universal influenza vaccine candidate is examining the vaccine’s safety and tolerability as well as its ability to induce an immune response in healthy volunteers. Scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, developed the experimental vaccine, known as […]The post Experimental universal influenza vaccine candidate, H1ssF_3928, in human trials appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The El Salvador Ministry of Health (MINSAL) is reporting increases in typhoid fever this year to date as compared to the same period in 2018. According to a La Prensa Grafica report (computer translated), through the first twelve weeks of 2019, 517 cases have been reported. This is an 65 percent increase compared to the 313 […]The post Typhoid cases up 65 percent in El Salvador appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the mumps situation at Indiana University, school officials say the case count rose by three cases last week, bringing the total number of cases to six since Feb. 21 on the Bloomington campus, the Indiana Daily Student reports. IU spokesman Chuck Carney says five of the six students diagnosed with the viral […]The post Indiana University mumps: Case tally now at 6 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Michigan health officials reported four additional confirmed measles cases in Oakland County, bringing the current outbreak to 34 cases. This is the highest number of measles in the state since 1991 when 65 cases were reported. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is working closely with Oakland and Wayne county health departments to […]The post Michigan measles outbreak the most cases since 1991 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Health officials in New South Wales, Australia (NSW Health) are reporting the diagnosis of measles in two infants too young to be vaccinated, who probably acquired the infection from recent cases in Sydney. An 8 month old infant, likely caught the infection in the Haymarket area near World Square. The infant spent time at the following […]The post New South Wales: Measles strikes infants to young to be vaccinated appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Massachusetts health officials confirmed a measles case in the greater Boston on Sunday, March 31, 2019. During the infectious period, the individual went to locations where other people may have been exposed. Tuesday 3/26 1:40 PM – 4:40 PM – Plymouth, MA KKatie’s Burger Bar 38 Main St Ext, Plymouth, MA 02360 Wednesday 3/27 8:40 am […]The post Measles diagnosed in Boston area: Potential exposure in multiple locations appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) CEO David Meates said today that there were 39 confirmed measles cases, in a recent appearance on Newstalk ZB with Chris Lynch. “The most effective way to stop the spread of measles in our community is to vaccinate those who have never received an MMR vaccine,” says Medical officer of health Dr Ramon […]The post New Zealand: CDHB CEO David Meates says there are 39 confirmed measles cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

From January 1 to March 28, 2019, 387 individual cases of measles have been confirmed in 15 states. This is the second-greatest number of cases reported in the U.S. since measles was eliminated in 2000. In fact, the number of cases to date has eclipsed the total measles cases in all of 2018 (372). This has […]The post Measles cases in the US prompts AMA response appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

During the week of March 10 through 16, the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) reported an additional eight fatalities linked to the outbreak, bringing the death toll tally to 52 since August 2017. However, officials report seven of the deaths being reported this week were identified through periodic death record review. This week’s death count may […]The post Kentucky hepatitis A death count rises after delayed review of death certifications appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the dengue outbreak on the island of Reunion, health officials report an additional 682 confirmed cases the week of Mar. 11, bringing the total to 3,048 cases since January 1. Dengue activity is most active in The Saint-Louis River, Saint Louis, Saint Pierre, L’Etang-Sale and Cabris Ravine, while new transmission zones have been identified […]The post Dengue fever: Reunion reports more than 3,000 cases in 2019 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) presents significant challenges not only to patients but also to researchers, and efforts must be accelerated to learn more about the condition, experts from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, write in a new perspective published in mBio. AFM is a […]The post Acute Flaccid Myelitis: NIH calls for concerted research to develop non-polio enterovirus-specific diagnostics, more appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the measles outbreak in southeast Michigan, state health officials reported eight additional confirmed measles cases in Oakland County, bringing the outbreak total to 30. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) reports 29 cases in Oakland County and one case in Wayne County. MDHHS is working closely with Oakland and Wayne […]The post Michigan measles: Eight additional cases reported in Oakland County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A new strategy to combat antibiotic resistance has emerged from a study led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine. Published in the journal Molecular Cell, the report reveals for the first time how bacteria evolve mutations that confer antibiotic resistance and that this process can be inhibited with FDA-approved drug edaravone. “Antibiotic resistance is one of […]The post Combating antibiotic resistance: Baylor researcher’s new strategy appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In an update on the measles outbreak in the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) has reported 25,676 measles cases including 355 deaths (CFR-1.38%) through Mar. 26. This is an increase of nearly 400 percent compared to the same period last year when the country reported 5364 cases and 51 deaths. Nine Philippine regions have reported […]The post Measles vaccination campaign: Nearly 4 million children immunized in Philippines appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

After several weeks of falling, the rate of measles in Ukraine is rising again, the Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine said today. During the 13th week of 2019, 2,254 people – 1,133 adults and 1,141 children – contracted measles. During March 22-28, areas with the most registered cases include Kyiv (260 patients: 139 adults […]The post Rate of measles in Ukraine is rising again: 35K cases reported year-to-date appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Philippines are battling large outbreaks of the vaccine-preventable disease, measles and the vector-borne disease, dengue fever currently;however, health officials are reminding the public of another group of infectious diseases-the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). In the Calabarzon Region, where various sanitary inspectors, environmental and occupational health coordinators from Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon and regional […]The post Philippines: Six Neglected Tropical Diseases remain prevalent in the country appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Health officials in Pennsylvania are advising the public to be aware of Lyme disease and ticks as they spend more time outdoors as the weather gets warmer. “Lyme disease can be a very serious illness, and left untreated, can cause life-threatening complications,” Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said. “Ticks that carry Lyme disease can be found […]The post Pennsylvania officials warn of Lyme disease appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Chronic wasting disease, or CWD is a prion disease that affects several cervid species: deer, elk, reindeer, sika deer and moose. It has been found in some areas of North America, including three provinces in Canada and at least 26 states. My guest today has expressed concern that it is probable that human cases of […]The post Chronic Wasting Disease and the CIDRAP program appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Virginia Haiduc The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHC) released this March their latest Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease. The main goal of primary prevention is to reduce the risks of developing heart disease or strokes in healthy individuals. Published in The Journal of the American College […]The post Cardiovascular disease 2019 prevention guidelines: Diets, statins and aspirin appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Quebec health officials reported an outbreak of the parasitic infection, toxoplasmosis, in a at least six hunters who consumed the deer meat they killed during a hunting trip to the United States last November-December. According to their Mar. 2019 health bulletin (computer translated), in December 2018, they received a report of a person presenting with severe headache, fever, myalgia […]The post Toxoplasmosis outbreak reported in Quebec hunters appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a report from the China Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) Sunday (computer translated), officials report African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks on two farms in Lichuan City, Hubei Province in central China. On one farm, 83 pigs were infected, killing 73, while on the second farm, eight hogs were infected and five died out of a […]The post African swine fever: New outbreak reported in Hubei province appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In an update on the Rift Valley fever (RVF) situation in Mayotte, health officials report 114 human cases have been reported since November 2018. Since the beginning of the health alert, human cases have remained mainly in the center and north-west of the island. The disease is usually manifested by an influenza-like illness: high fever […]The post Rift Valley Fever update: 114 human cases in Mayotte appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Since the beginning of 2019, 17 cases of measles have been reported in Mayotte, including 15 in children under 2 years of age. This recrudescence occurs in a context of circulation of the disease in metropolitan France but also in the Indian Ocean zone, particularly in Madagascar, where five cases were imported and where a […]The post Mayotte reports measles cases, recommend vaccination appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

South Dakota officials saw an doubling of Legionnaires’ disease cases in 2018 compared to 2017, reporting 33 cases statewide. This included an increase in the Sioux Falls area, in which 16 people became ill and one died. This prompted the Department of Health to host an upcoming workshop for cooling tower owners, operators, installers, and water treatment consultants […]The post South Dakota: 2018 Legionnaires’ disease increase prompts prevention workshop appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to pet hedgehogs, federal health officials have reported six additional cases in the past two months. A total of 17 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported from 11 states. Two people were hospitalized and no deaths have been reported. The outbreak strain […]The post Hedgehogs linked to six additional Salmonella cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Calgary Alberta Health Services (AHS) has confirmed that an individual with lab-confirmed measles has been in public settings in Calgary while infectious. Individuals who were in the below-noted locations during the specified dates and times may have been exposed to measles: March 26: Exposure Location: Peter Lougheed Centre Emergency Department Exposure Time Period: 7:00 a.m […]The post Canada: Measles cases reported in Calgary, Victoria and Toronto appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Florida Department of Health in Broward County (DOH-Broward) has reported an imported measles case. The case in Broward was acquired outside of the United States, according to Dr. Paula Thaqi, the director of DOH-Broward. Dr. Bindu Mayi, a professor of microbiology at Nova Southeastern University’s College of Medical Sciences in Broward said an immediate goal is to […]The post Florida: Measles case reported in Broward County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Through Mar. 27, California health officials have reported 16 total measles cases in nine counties, this compares with 21 cases reported during the whole of 2018. In 2019, two outbreaks linked to patients with international travel have been reported in California. Of the 16 confirmed measles cases, 11 outbreak-associated cases, have been reported. Dr. James Watt […]The post California measles cases now 16, Health officials ‘very concerned’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Temple University As of Mar. 27, Temple University Student Health Services report 18 Temple students have tested positive for mumps and 88 are listed as probable. Vaccine clinics were held last week where nearly 5,000 students and faculty members have taken advantage of free vaccine booster shots. Kutztown University After media accounts of a probable mumps case at Kutztown University […]The post Mumps update: Temple, Kutztown, San Diego State appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Asian Longhorned Tick made its appearance in the United States recently and has since been found in a number of states. The emergence of these ticks represent a potential threat for livestock, wildlife, and human health, according to experts. In a new study published in Emerging Infectious Diseases, researchers say the infestation in Staten […]The post Asian longhorned ticks with Maria Diuk-Wasser, PhD appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Health officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have reported (computer translated) 29 new Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases in the past two days, the largest 2-day spike since the outbreak began, bringing the total cases to 1,059. On March 27, 14 new confirmed cases were reported in Katwa (6), Vuhovi (4) and one […]The post DRC reports 29 Ebola cases in two days appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Here are the top five posts on Outbreak News Today for the week of Mar. 23 through Mar. 29: 5. Africa: Plague in DRC, Measles in Madagascar In this post, we look at some ongoing outbreaks on the African continent to include the massive measles epidemic in Madagascar. 4. Malaria treatment: Quinidine discontinued, Artesunate now first-line treatment for severe […]The post Infectious disease news: Top 5 posts for the week Mar. 23- Mar. 29 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Here are some current infectious disease news stories from the Philippines: Measles In the Western Visayas, fear over vaccines due to the Dengvaxia debacle are beginning to wane as higher coverage for measles vaccine is being observed. DOH-Center for Health Development 6 (Western Visayas) Medical Officer III, Dr. Mary Jane Roches Juanico, said Friday that […]The post Philippines: Measles and dengue news from the archipelago appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Here is a look at some interesting infectious disease and health news, opinion and research reported across the globe: Unsticking malaria One feature of the most virulent species of malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, is its ability to make infected red blood cells stick to the endothelial cells lining blood vessels, including those serving the brain. This […]The post Infectious disease bric-a-bracs: Cerebral malaria, Anti-filarial drugs, What causes autism? appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Jory Lange An E coli outbreak in Kentucky may be growing. Six people have been hospitalized and 20 Kentuckians tested positive for E coli O103. Many of those affected by this E coli outbreak live in central Kentucky. “Exposure to E. coli bacteria can be debilitating and potentially life-threatening, especially for small children and […]The post Six Hospitalized as Kentucky E coli Outbreak Grows appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

New York City health officials are reporting two cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) that were diagnosed in early March in persons who either live or work in Far Rockaway, Queens. The first patient is a child who presented with two days of fever, lethargy, cough, vomiting and diarrhea in the first week of March […]The post New York: Invasive meningococcal disease in Far Rockaway, Queens appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

On Sunday’s show I look at the recent news from Rockland County, New York where the County Executive, Ed Day declared a county wide State of Emergency, which effectively banned all unvaccinated people 18 years and younger from entering public places for 30 days or until they get vaccinated. I also looked at the legal implications […]The post Outbreak News This Week Radio Show: Rockland measles outbreak, RFK Jr., Health promotion appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Jory Lange A Shigella outbreak at a wedding near Portland, Oregon that sickened 107 wedding guests has just been reported by the Oregon Health Authority. 263 people attended the wedding. At least 107 people became ill. 21% of those who became ill (23 people) were confirmed cases with Shigella infections linked to the wedding. […]The post Shigella Outbreak Sickens 107 Wedding Guests In Yamhill County, Near Portland, Oregon appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Jory D. Lange, Jr. A Legionnaires’ disease outbreak has killed one and sickened another in California. The Legionnaires’ outbreak happened at the California Health Care Facility (CHCF) in Stockton, California. CHCF delivers medical care to California’s prison inmates with the most severe medical needs. A post-death analysis revealed that the inmate who died tested […]The post Legionnaires’ Disease Kills One, Sickens Another in California appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Health officials in Madrid, Spain are reporting a mumps outbreak at the Higher Technical School of Engineering (ICAI) of the Pontifical University of Comillas , according to a Que report (computer translated). Director General of Public Health in Madrid, Juan Martínez said they recommend the people of Madrid check if their vaccinations are up-to-date. In […]The post Mumps outbreak in Madrid: Dozens of cases reported at Pontifical University of Comillas appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Hawaii health officials are reporting the second case of angiostrongyliasis, or rat lungworm disease this year in an individual from North Hawai‘i. This is the second case from Hawai‘i County to test positive for angiostrongyliasis in 2019, bringing the statewide total to two cases this year. Health officials learned recently about the adult resident of North Hawai‘i, who […]The post Rat lungworm: Hawaii reports 2nd case of 2019 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A new paper published in Lancet Infectious Diseases describes the characteristics of the large urban plague epidemic in Madagascar in the latter half of 2017. Madagascar accounts for 75% of global plague cases reported to WHO, with an annual incidence of 200–700 suspected cases (mainly bubonic plague). In 2017, a pneumonic plague epidemic of unusual […]The post The Epidemiology of the 2017 Plague Epidemic in Madagascar appeared first on Outbreak News Today.