Outbreak News Today

After reporting a large malaria outbreak in 2017, with more than 6 million people affected and thousands of deaths, health officials are reporting a sharp decrease in malaria cases and deaths since the beginning of the year. According to the Ministry of Health (MoH) data, the cumulative number of malaria cases reported during the first fifteen weeks […]The post Burundi: Malaria cases down in the first months of 2018 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Officials with the Public Health Agency of Catalonia (ASPCAT) are reporting (computer translated) additional cases in the measles outbreak in the city of Tortosa, Catalonia, Spain. With the report of two additional cases, the outbreak total is now 13. Four additional cases are suspect and being investigated with laboratory testing pending. The outbreak originated in the Hospital Verge de […]The post Measles outbreak reported in Tortosa, Catalonia appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the hepatitis A outbreak in Kentucky, the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) has identified 448 confirmed cases of acute hepatitis A since Aug. 17. Of this total, 315 people (70%) required hospitalization for their illness. The number of fatalities has risen to four. Kentucky declares hepatitis A outbreak In November 2017, the […]The post Kentucky hepatitis A outbreak: Death toll rises to 4 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today applauded President Donald J. Trump’s selection of Dr. Mindy Brashears to be the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Under Secretary for Food Safety. After the announcement, Secretary Perdue issued the following statement: “Food safety is at the core of USDA’s mission, because it directly affects the health and […]The post President Trump selects Dr. Mindy Brashears to be the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Under Secretary for Food Safety appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

According to the Eau Claire City-County Health Department, more than 40% of deer/bear ticks collected in Eau Claire area parks were infected with the Lyme disease bacteria. In 2014, the Health Department began a tick collection project at two rural county parks to determine the percentage of ticks infected with Lyme disease. In 2017, they […]The post Wisconsin: 40 percent of ticks collected in Eau Claire are infected with Lyme bacteria appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is reporting four laboratory-confirmed cases of the mumps among students at Western Illinois University’s Macomb campus. The IDPH is working with WIU’s Beu Health Center and the McDonough County Health Department to investigate and contain the cases. “Western Illinois University, in partnership with the McDonough County Health Department, […]The post Western Illinois University: Four mumps cases confirmed on the Macomb campus appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Since March, twenty-two Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) outbreaks involving at least 200 horses, predominantly sport horses like Thoroughbreds and Trotters have been reported in France, in the Great West , but also in Ile-de-France, in the east and in the Gironde, according to the Reseau d’Epidemio-Surveillance en Pathologie Equine (RESPE) (computer translated). However, all the cases are not reported to […]The post France: Hundreds of horses sickened with Equine Herpes Virus appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

New Jersey based biotechnology company, SCYNEXIS, Inc. announced this week that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) has granted both Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) and Fast Track designations for the oral formulation of SCY-078, SCYNEXIS’s novel oral and intravenous antifungal agent, for the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and for the prevention of recurrent VVC. Additionally, SCYNEXIS announced it has […]The post Vulvovaginal candidiasis treatment granted FDA QIDP and Fast Track designations appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Health District officials are investigating a suspected case of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) in a middle-aged Grant County resident. The individual is believed to have been exposed to contaminated deer mouse droppings while cleaning out their vehicle. According to the family, the ill individual is improving but is still hospitalized with respiratory failure from the […]The post Hantavirus: Suspect case reported in Grant County, Washington appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Kansas City, MO health officials have reported an additional three confirmed measles cases, bringing the outbreak total to 13. In addition, they updated the measles exposure time frames and locations listed below: Anyone who is unvaccinated or may not […]The post Measles outbreak update: 13 cases reported in Kansas City appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Delaware Department of Health is warning residents that with spring’s arrival and the warmer weather comes ticks, fleas, mosquitoes and increased chances of vector-borne diseases. Whether staying home or traveling in the coming months, DPH wants to remind Delawareans of the risk of these diseases, which include Lyme disease, Zika, and West Nile Virus, and to […]The post Delaware health officials launch Lyme Disease Awareness campaign appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

PaxVax, a leading independent specialty vaccine company, announced today that it has received Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its vaccine for the prevention of disease caused by the chikungunya virus. Chikungunya represents a significant public health need and can cause headache, muscle pain, and skin rashes, with severe, […]The post PaxVax Chikungunya vaccine receives FDA Fast Track designation appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

People showing virtually no symptoms are likely the primary source of dengue fever, according to new research published in PLOS Pathogens. Nearly 400 million people each year are infected with dengue virus, which is transmitted through mosquitoes. The study estimates that more than 80 percent of dengue virus infections are attributable to individuals with mild to […]The post Dengue study: ‘People showing no symptoms of dengue virus infection are contributing much more than was previously recognized’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up to a report last week, The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) today announced the third confirmed measles case this year in the state in a Hartford County adult. The infected individual did not have contact with the 2 cases reported in April from New Haven County, and acquired their infection out of state. DPH […]The post Connecticut reports 3rd measles case of the year appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The largest study of its kind found mothers who consumed their placenta passed on no harm to their newborn babies when compared to infants of mothers who did not consume their placenta. The joint study by UNLV and Oregon State University was published May 2 in the journal Birth. Reviewing roughly 23,000 birth records, researchers found […]The post Maternal placenta consumption (placentophagy) after birth offers no increased risk to newborns: OSU study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the dengue epidemic on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, French health officials report an additional 298 biologically confirmed and probable cases in the past week, bringing the total to 2,119 cases for the year. Fifty-nine people have required hospitalization for their illness to date. This compares with 12 hospitalizations for all of […]The post Dengue cases top 2100 on Reunion appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Health officials in Victoria are reporting a steady increase in notifications of Buruli ulcer since 2015 in people who have travelled to or live in endemic areas, prompting an advisory for health care providers on symptoms, diagnostics and treatment of the bacterial infection. Buruli ulcer is caused by the bacterium, Mycobacterium ulcerans. In 2017 there were […]The post Australia: Increased reports of Buruli ulcer in Victoria appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) reported Thursday (computer translated) that there is one (1) new rabies case confirmed from Kampung Sebangkoi Baru, Simunjan District, Samarahan Division, Sarawak. This is the third case for 2018 and 9th since June 30, 2017. Eight of the cases were fatal while one was hospitalized, treated and discharged. The most recent case is a 11-year-old boy, […]The post Rabies claims another life in Sarawak, Malaysia appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

New research out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison has, for the first time, detected prions responsible for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in samples taken from sites where deer congregate. Scientists searched for prions at mineral licks — areas where deer seek out essential nutrients and minerals — in the CWD endemic area across south-central Wisconsin. […]The post Chronic wasting disease prions found in soil and water in Wisconsin: Study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Penn State University Health Services (UHS) reports 12 cases of students with mumps on the University Park campus within the last several weeks. All have been isolated in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Pennsylvania Department of Health protocols and recommendations. However, with upcoming end-of-semester events, including commencement and move-out activities which […]The post Penn State reports a dozen mumps cases as semester winds down appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Summary This is the first study to examine and quantify sleep quality in the context of well-defined early Lyme disease (LD) and post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS). The findings provide support that sleep disturbance should be considered in the clinical picture of individuals with LD. Sleep quality may particularly be poor and associated with the […]The post Lyme disease study reveals poor sleep quality in patients appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

SIGA Technologies, Inc. (SIGA), a health security company specializing in the development and commercialization of solutions for serious unmet medical needs and biothreats, announced this week on a favorable outcome of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee meeting on oral TPOXX®, a small molecule antiviral treatment for smallpox. The panel, […]The post Smallpox antiviral: FDA panel gives OK appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

New research from Public Health Ontario(PHO) and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) suggests that whooping cough cases in Ontario are happening much more frequently than previously known, reinforcing the importance of up-to-date vaccinations to protect against illness and the spread of disease. Whooping cough (formally known as pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection. In many people, […]The post Ontario: Whooping cough cases happening much more frequently than previously known appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In the first national study of the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections in children across the US, researchers from Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, & Policy (CDDEP) in Washington, DC and Rush University in Chicago, IL examined national and regional trends of antibiotic resistance in clinical specimens over a 13-year period. While there was an overall […]The post Antibiotic-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections in children across the US: After 2008, a downward trend reported appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Since the measles outbreak began on Mar. 20, the Government of Okinawa Prefecture has reported 85 cases. The outbreak was triggered by an imported case from Taiwan in March. Measles is a highly infectious viral illness that can be very unpleasant and sometimes lead to serious complications. The measles virus is contained in the millions of tiny droplets that […]The post Okinawa measles outbreak rises to 85 cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

French health officials reported an additional 124 measles cases in the past week, bringing the outbreak total for 2018 to 1,999 as of the end of April. Eighty departments reported at least 1 case with about half the cases reported from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, the only region in an epidemic situation. 21% of reported cases were […]The post France: 2,000 measles cases since the beginning of the year appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute aim to improve flu and malaria vaccines with the support of a new $12 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. With the funding, the Scripps Research team will expand their studies of antibodies that can neutralize many strains of malaria and influenza. Past Scripps Research studies have […]The post Scripps Research scientists receive $12 million for malaria and flu vaccine research appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Federal health officials announced today an additional 23 ill people in the multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections linked to romaine lettuce, bringing the outbreak total to 121. With Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Utah now reporting cases, the number of states affected now stands at 25. Fifty-two people out of 102 with available information (51%) have been hospitalized, including […]The post E. coli outbreak: One death reported from California appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

South Carolina health officials say four people have been referred to their health care providers for consultation after being potentially exposed to rabies in the southwest area of Pickens County by a young goat that tested positive for the disease. The victims were exposed to rabies while providing general care to the goat. After exhibiting […]The post Rabid goat exposes 4 in South Carolina appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

California health officials say raw oysters from British Columbia are linked to a recent outbreak of norovirus illnesses in the state, prompting warning for consumers to avoid eating raw oysters harvested from south and central Baynes Sound, in British Columbia, Canada. In California, as of April 27, approximately 100 individuals have reported illness after they consumed raw […]The post Norovirus cases linked to raw British Columbia oysters: California health officials appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up to a report concerning a health advisory issued in California over Serratia marcescens bloodstream infections potentially associated with BD PosiFlush™ Heparin Lock Flush and BD™ Pre-Filled Normal Saline Flush syringes, Nebraska health officials issued the following: CDC, state and local health departments, and FDA are investigating an ongoing multi-state outbreak of Serratia marcescens […]The post Multi-state outbreak of Serratia marcescens bloodstream infections investigated appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Illnesses from mosquito, tick, and flea bites have tripled in the U.S., with more than 640,000 cases reported during the 13 years from 2004 through 2016. Nine new germs spread by mosquitoes and ticks were discovered or introduced into the United States during this time. These findings are in the latest Vital Signs report by the Centers for Disease Control and […]The post Zika, West Nile, Lyme and other vector-borne diseases triple in the US over the past decade appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Washtenaw County, Michigan, which comprises the Ann Arbor area, is reporting an increase in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and gonorrhea cases in particular, are seeing record highs. The Washtenaw County Health Department says there were 560 cases of gonorrhea in 2017 – the highest number of cases in 25 years. Chlamydia and syphilis rates have also increased […]The post Michigan: Washtenaw County reports most gonorrhea cases in 25 years appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up to the measles outbreak in the Czech Republic, Doctors have registered an increased incidence of measles in the Czech Republic, reporting over 100 cases, mostly in Prague, according to a Radio Praha report. Of the 103 cases registered this year to date, 70 of them were in Prague. Typically, the country sees only isolated […]The post Measles cases rise in the Czech Republic, Most cases in Prague appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

New research shows small, New World monkeys called marmosets may be an important animal model for emerging viruses with the potential for harmful effects on fetuses. Establishing animal models for emerging diseases, like Zika, is necessary for the development of vaccines, therapies and diagnostics. Results of a study published in the journal Scientific Reports (Nature.com) showed pregnant […]The post Zika virus infection on fetal health: Marmosets may be an important animal model appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a Health Advisory last week to alert the health care community of Serratia marcescens bloodstream infections potentially associated with BD PosiFlush™ Heparin Lock Flush and BD™ Pre-Filled Normal Saline Flush syringes. BD was notified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and […]The post Serratia marcescens: California issues health advisory, BD issues recall appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Officials with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment are reminding residents to to take steps to avoid hantavirus, a rare but potentially fatal respiratory disease from a virus carried by deer mice. People are most likely to get hantavirus by breathing in dirt and dust contaminated with deer mouse urine, droppings or saliva. More […]The post Colorado health officials remind the public to take steps to avoid hantavirus appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Mauritania Ministry of Health has reported a confirmed case of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Ould Yengé commune, Guidimaka region located in the southern-most part of the country. The case-patient is a 58-year-old male herder from Elghabra locality who became ill on 16 April 2018 (reportedly) after tending to a sick cow days earlier. He presented […]The post Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever case reported in Mauritania appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

New Mexico health officials are reporting a pertussis, or whooping cough outbreak in McKinley County in northwest New Mexico. As of April 25th, there are 17 laboratory-confirmed cases of whooping cough and an additional 43 probable cases. When the New Mexico Department of Health first announced this outbreak on March 14th, there were eight laboratory-confirmed cases of whooping cough, […]The post Pertussis outbreak reported in McKinley County, New Mexico appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A salmonella outbreak has sickened 21 students and staff at a St Petersburg school, according to a recent Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) report (computer translated). The outbreak, primarily affecting children 4-6 years old, occurred at the HBDUU kindergarten № 46 Pushkin district. Twenty-one people total were infected, […]The post Russia: Salmonella outbreak sickens 21 at St. Petersburg school appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Venezuela has the highest percentage increase of malaria cases in the world, according to the latest data from the World Health Organization. In fact, the number of cases in the country have increased by a factor of 10 since 2010. The upward trend in malaria is a reality in several parts of the world, but […]The post Venezuela: Malaria cases increase 10x since 2010 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Chile Ministry of Health reported recently (computer translated) on four confirmed autochthonous dengue fever cases on Easter Island (Rapa Nui), prompting the issuance of a health warning. The document note that these people are residents of the island with no travel history abroad, so it is deduced that such situation constitutes an outbreak , associated with environmental risk […]The post Easter Island sees four locally acquired dengue cases prompting health warning appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Johns Hopkins researchers report success with a smart phone video-based app that substitutes for a daily in-person visit by a health care worker required for tuberculosis treatment known as directly observed therapy, or DOT. The preliminary study showed that the app may be less costly and may improve privacy concerns raised by patients compared to […]The post Monitoring TB treatment with smartphone app appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Mexican Ministry of Health has reported an outbreak of mumps in the country, many affecting university students, with outbreaks reported in Mexico City, Sonora and Chihuahua, according to the National Epidemiological Surveillance System (SINAVE) (computer translated). Through April 13, 2,619 cases of mumps have been reported in the country. The states with the highest number of cases are: Tamaulipas–561 (21%), […]The post Mexico reports mumps outbreak, many cases in college students appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The number of chikungunya cases in reported in Rio de Janeiro state during the first quarter of 2018 is nearly triple the number seen during the same period last year, according to a G1.globo.com report (computer translated). From January to March of this year there were 4,262 notifications of chikungunya, while during the same period […]The post Chikungunya cases up big in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

On Friday, philanthropist Bill Gates spoke at a meeting hosted by the Massachusetts Medical Society and the New England Journal of Medicine on epidemics and Gates announced the commitment of money for the development of a universal flu vaccine and offered a dire warning if pandemic preparedness is not taken more seriously. Gates expressed his concern with the […]The post Bill Gates warns of pandemic flu, commits millions for universal flu vaccine appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the norovirus and gastrointestinal illness outbreak linked to raw oysters from British Columbia, Canadian health officials report 46 additional cases. Currently, a total of 172 cases of gastrointestinal illness linked to oyster consumption have been reported in three provinces: British Columbia (132), Alberta (15), and Ontario (25). No deaths have been reported. Based […]The post Canada norovirus outbreak grows: 172 cases from three provinces appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The measles continue to spread in Europe, because in many countries vaccination coverage is too low. The European Commission has now decided to strengthen its efforts to support the Member States. The European Commission wants to increase the coverage of measles vaccine in the Member States to 95%. The Commission published a communication on intensifying vaccine cooperation […]The post The European Commission wants to increase the coverage of measles vaccine to 95 percent appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Health officials in France reported an additional 428 biologically confirmed and probable dengue fever cases in one week. This brings the total laboratory confirmed or probable cases to 1816 since the beginning of the year. Fifty people required hospitalization for their illness since early January. Public Health France says the epidemic is intensifying in the West […]The post Dengue epidemic is intensifying in West and North Reunion appeared first on Outbreak News Today.