Outbreak News Today

Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) issued a health alert Friday over the risk of measles exposure on three Vancouver International Airport (YVR) flights late last month. February 24, 2017: • China Airlines Flight C132 (Taipei to Vancouver) arriving at 6:10 pm PST • WestJet Flight WS 186 (Vancouver to Edmonton) departing at 10:20 pm PST Passengers […]The post Vancouver: Measles alert issued for travelers on three flights appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

While North Korea sticks with the claim that half-brother of the country’s leader, Kim Jong-nam died of a heart attack in Malaysia last month, Malaysian authorities say the substance that two women, Đoàn Thị Hương and Siti Aishah, put on Kim’s face, and the cause of his death was VX nerve agent. I was joined by biodefense […]The post North Korea: The killing of Kim Jong-nam, VX nerve agent and other WMDs appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Borno state in northeast Nigeria has recorded its first Lassa fever outbreak in almost five decades. The last confirmed outbreak of the deadly disease was in 1969. WHO is supporting the government to contain the outbreak in an area of the country which is already coping with a humanitarian crisis resulting from years of conflict. […]The post Nigeria: Borno State reports 1st Lassa fever outbreak in decades appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A measles epidemic has been declared in 14 of the 38 health districts in Guinea. 13 districts have been put on alert. Since the beginning of the year, 1,527 cases of measles have been diagnosed, of which 1,517 were cured. Two patients have died and eight remain under treatment. The number of suspected cases has […]The post Measles epidemic declared in Guinea appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Specific Technologies, which has developed a new microbiology diagnostic paradigm combining detection and identification (ID) of microorganisms growing in culture, announced Thursday the discovery of a unique signature for deadly Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) strains of E. coli. Specific will present its findings at the 27th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID), on […]The post CRE: Specific Technologies discovers unique signature in E. coli appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Chinese National Health and Family Planning Commission reported 21 additional human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9), including three deaths, from February 24 to March 2. The 17 male and four female patients, aged from 10 to 77, had their onset from February 10 to 27. The cases were from Guangdong (six cases), Anhui (four cases), […]The post China reports 21 more H7N9 avian influenza cases, 3 deaths appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the multistate Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O157:H7 outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports investigating the outbreak that has sickened 12 people in five states since January (Arizona-4, California-4, Oregon-2, Maryland-1 and New Jersey-1). Six ill people have been hospitalized. Four people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type […]The post E. coli outbreak update: 12 cases in five states, SoyNut Butter recall appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The mumps outbreak grows in a number of regions of Canada and it’s reached the point that the country’s Chief Public Health Officer felt it necessary to make a statement on Wednesday. Dr. Theresa Tam said, “Several outbreaks of mumps have been confirmed across Canada and are being investigated by local public health authorities. In light […]The post Mumps in Canada: ‘Outbreaks of mumps continue, mostly in young adults’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In an update to the yellow fever outbreak in Brazil, since the beginning of the outbreak in December 2016 to Feb. 18, 2017, there were 1,368 cases of yellow fever reported (326 confirmed, 125 discarded, and 916 suspected cases remain under investigation), including 220 deaths (109 confirmed, 6 discarded, and 105 under investigation), according to the […]The post Yellow fever: Downward trend reported in Minas Gerais appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A drug given to pregnant women in 35 countries worldwide to protect against malaria has been shown also to safeguard against the consequences of gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, and bacterial vaginosis, according to a new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases. The World Health Organization recommends providing intermittent preventive treatment (IPTp) using sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) to pregnant […]The post Malaria in pregnancy drug offers protection against STDs: Study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the mumps outbreak at the Cedar Hill High School, Dallas County health officials report 27 associated mumps cases between students and teachers in Cedar Hill High School. Not all cases are Dallas County residents. This accounts for eight out of 10 of the 33 mumps cases reported in Dallas County. The other six […]The post Cedar Hill High School mumps tally up to 27 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The proportion of Zika-affected pregnancies with birth defects is approximately 20-fold higher compared with the proportion of pregnancies seen in 2013-2014, which is before Zika was introduced into the Americas, according to an article published today in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The types of birth defects—including brain abnormalities and/or microcephaly, neural tube defects and other early brain malformations, […]The post Zika virus, birth defects and a new CDC article appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Federal health authorities, including the CDC and FDA, and several state health departments are investigating an outbreak of 12 illnesses of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O157:H7 reported from several states. Epidemiologic information collected to date indicates that I. M. Healthy brand SoyNut Butter products might be contaminated with this harmful bacteria and are a […]The post Multistate E. coli outbreak possibly linked to I. M. Healthy brand SoyNut Butter investigated appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A food poisoning outbreak that sickened some 1,000 students and teachers at seven Tokyo-area elementary schools in February has been linked to seaweed served during lunches, according to an NHK News report (computer translated). At least 1,098 faculty and students at the Tachikawa City schools were affected by the outbreak. They presented with symptoms of vomiting and […]The post Japan: Tainted seaweed implicated in February norovirus outbreak appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In 2016, a regional action plan for Europe contributing to the implementation of the global viral hepatitis elimination strategy was developed by the WHO Regional Office for Europe. In an article published today in Eurosurveillance, the authors take a closer look how Europe is doing according to the ten indicators and targets outlined in this […]The post Hepatitis B and C elimination: Where does Europe stand? appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the mumps outbreak at Penn State University, the state department of health now puts the confirmed case tally at 10. This is up from 27 suspected, probable or confirmed (6) mumps cases at University Park reported on Feb. 28. Mumps is spread by droplets of saliva or mucus from the mouth, nose, […]The post Penn State mumps cases rise appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

For the third time since Nov. 2016 (HERE and HERE), an undergraduate student attending Oregon State University (OSU) in Corvallis is being treated at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center for what has been confirmed as meningococcal disease. The student remains hospitalized in good condition. All three case were identified as the B strain of Neisseria meninigitidis. As […]The post Oregon State University: 3rd meningococcal disease case since November appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

On Wednesday, the Chief Public Health Officer of the Public Health Agency of Canada, Dr. Theresa Tam issued the following statement concerning mumps outbreaks in Canada: Several outbreaks of mumps have been confirmed across Canada and are being investigated by local public health authorities. In light of this, I want to remind Canadians of the importance […]The post Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer on mumps outbreaks appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Canadian health officials reported Wednesday that three people in Ontario who were in contact with pet rats have tested positive for Seoul virus. In addition, Some rats in Ontario have also tested positive for Seoul virus. Health officials in Canada is closely monitoring an outbreak of Seoul virus associated with pet rats in the United States, and […]The post Canada: 3 Seoul virus cases reported in Ontario appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The mumps outbreak first reported in early February at Cedar Hill High School, when three cases were reported, has grown to 23 infected students and staff, according to Dallas County health officials Wednesday. Health officials note that an additional nine cases are under investigation. All of the students diagnosed with mumps infections have had documentation of two […]The post Dallas County: Mumps outbreak at Cedar Hill High School, health officials recommend booster MMR appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the mumps outbreak in Toronto, city health officials report four additional cases since the outbreak was first reported approximately one week ago. Currently, there have been 18 confirmed cases of mumps in Toronto in 2017, as of Mar. 1, according to Toronto Public Health. The outbreak is primarily affecting young adults, 18 […]The post Toronto mumps outbreak rises to 18 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a report published today by the World Health Organization (WHO), officials outlined their recommendations for the composition of the influenza vaccine for the 2017-2018 northern hemisphere flu season. Here is an excerpt: Influenza A(H3N2) viruses predominated in most countries, with low levels of A(H1N1)pdm09 and influenza B viruses also circulating during the period September […]The post Flu shot composition recommendations for 2017-2018 northern hemisphere influenza season appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The high-dose flu vaccine appeared to be more effective at preventing post-influenza deaths among older adults than the standard-dose vaccine, at least during a more severe flu season, according to a large new study of Medicare beneficiaries published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases. The findings build on earlier research suggesting that the high-dose vaccine […]The post High-dose flu vaccine appeared more effective at preventing deaths in older adults appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Two areas in the Central Visayas are reporting cholera outbreaks, according to a ABS-CBN News report Wednesday. Nearly 200 cases of the serious bacterial infection have been reported from areas of Cebu and Bohol islands. Health officials say 75 people from Sitio Badjao Bridge, Bohol were hospitalized and treated last week, while on Carnaza Island, Cebu, more […]The post Philippines: Cebu, Bohol report cholera outbreak appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Odactra, the first allergen extract to be administered under the tongue (sublingually) to treat house dust mite (HDM)-induced nasal inflammation (allergic rhinitis), with or without eye inflammation (conjunctivitis), in people 18 through 65 years of age. “House dust mite allergic disease can negatively impact a person’s quality of […]The post House dust mite allergy drug, Odactra receives FDA approval appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The National Ebola Training & Education Center (NETEC), in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced today two free workshops offered that will help you deliver safe, efficient, and effective patient care during an infectious disease epidemic. The workshops are entitled Emerging Infectious Disease Preparedness Training, and will include the following course topics: Pathogens […]The post CDC, NETEC offer free epidemic workshops in Atlanta, Omaha appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A study published by The BMJ today finds no increased risks to newborn babies if their mothers have taken drugs to prevent or treat influenza during pregnancy. This is the largest study to date to assess potential risks of taking antiviral drugs (known as neuraminidase inhibitors) during pregnancy and the results support previous findings. Seasonal […]The post Study finds no increased risks to newborns linked to flu drugs taken at pregnancy appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Efforts to eliminate blinding trachoma as a public health problem in the West African nations of Mali and Niger will receive US$11.725 million in additional support from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, to be implemented by The Carter Center, Helen Keller International, and Sightsavers, the organizations announced Wednesday. “The Hilton Foundation has supported efforts toward […]The post Trachoma elimination: Conrad N. Hilton Foundation pledges $12 million for Mali and Niger appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

During the week ending Feb. 11, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Nigeria Federal Ministry of Health reported the first case of Lassa fever in Kaduna State in the ongoing National Lassa fever outbreak. More recently, Nigerian media report a confirmed Lassa fever death in a 22-year old woman from Calabar, the capital of Cross River State on […]The post Lassa fever in Nigeria: Latest news and data appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

U.S. Senator and physician Rand Paul was joined by Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) in taking a firm, public stand to declare they would accept nothing less than full repeal of Obamacare. In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Dr Paul said, “We don’t want to keep Obamacare alive. We don’t want to add in […]The post No ‘Obamacare Lite’: Sens. Paul, Lee, and Cruz call for full repeal appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the mumps outbreak in Manitoba, Canada, health officials with Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living (MHSAL) put the tally at 176 since September 2016. While initially the majority of cases were University students between 18 to 29 years of age, living in Winnipeg, or involved with or participate in sports, mumps […]The post Manitoba mumps outbreak grows appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The number of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases reported in Vietnam in 2017 is increased compared to the same period in 2016, according to the General Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health, Viet Nam. The cumulative number of cases as of Feb. 11 is 5,252 cases with no deaths. Compared to the same […]The post Hand, foot and mouth disease cases up 30% in Vietnam appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Antibacterial compounds found in soil could spell the beginnings of a new treatment for tuberculosis, new research led by the University of Sydney has found. Believed by many to be a relic of past centuries, tuberculosis (TB) causes more deaths than any other infectious disease including HIV/AIDs. In 2015 there were an estimated 10.4 million […]The post University of Sydney findings are the starting point for a new TB drug appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Hospital room floors may be an overlooked source of infection, according to a study published in the March issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official journal of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). Because items in the patient’s room may touch the floor, pathogens on hospital floors can rapidly […]The post Infection Control: Hospital floors may pose a larger health risk than previously thought appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Zika virus could be transmitted by more mosquito species than those currently known, according to a new predictive model created by ecologists at the University of Georgia and the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. Their findings, published today in the journal eLife, offer a list of 26 additional potential candidate species–including seven that occur in […]The post List of potential Zika mosquito vectors may be more than currently known appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A farmworker from the Omaheke region on the eastern border of Namibia has died from Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), according to Namibia health officials. According to a report in The Namibian, The unidentified man died on Feb. 22 after being admitted to the Gobabis District Hospital when he vomited blood. He was treated for fever, diarrhea, and coughing a few days earlier. […]The post Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever death reported in Omaheke region, Namibia appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Just days after the Vancouver Canucks announced confirmed and suspected mumps among several players, officials with the Minnesota Wild hockey team reported that forwards Jason Pominville and Zach Parise have been diagnosed with mumps. Members of the organization that have symptoms are being tested immediately and placed in isolation for a five-day period. Team doctors […]The post Mumps in hockey: Minnesota Wild report Pominville and Parise diagnosed appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Department of Health (DOH) spearheads the 5th Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Forum in Cebu City with the theme: “Evidence Based Technologies to Accelerate the Gains of NTD Elimination, A New Hope”. The forum affirms that through the newly established Philippine Health Agenda, shared vision, process of national and local interface and public-private partnership, addressing […]The post Philippines commits to ending Neglected Tropical Diseases by 2030 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A third confirmed diphtheria case has been reported in Zamboanga City, according to City health officer Dr. Rodelin Agbuloson today. The latest case from the village of Mampang was confirmed by the Manila-based Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM). This follows the first case reported at the beginning of the month, a fatal case in a two-year old boy from Cawit. […]The post Zambo City: 3rd diphtheria case confirmed appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) have identified a new regulator of the innate immune response–the immediate, natural immune response to foreign invaders. The study, published recently in Nature Microbiology, suggests that therapeutics that modulate the regulator–an immune checkpoint–may represent the next generation of antiviral drugs, vaccine adjuvants, cancer immunotherapies, and treatments […]The post Better vaccines and new antivirals: Study identifies immune checkpoint as potential target to strengthen the innate immune response appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination has reported cases of chikungunya in the country for the first time. A total of 803 cases have been reported since 19 December 2016 in the Sindh province, including 29 cases reported in various towns in Karachi during the week of 10-16 February 2017. Of the […]The post Chikungunya: Hundreds of cases reported in Pakistan appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

On the Sunday, Feb. 26 airing of the Outbreak News This Week Radio Show, I take a look at two diverse issues on the infectious disease news scene. In the first half, I take a look at the New Republic article from mid-February where an infectious disease physician named Dr. Steven Beutler wrote this, what I consider an inappropriate smear […]The post Trump-neurosyphilis article, H7N9 avian influenza appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reported on their EMPRES system of two human H5N1 avian influenza cases today. The first case was reported from Al-Minyā, also spelled Menia Governorate in Upper Egypt. The second case, which was fatal, was from Faiyum, a city in Middle Egypt. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), H5N1 is […]The post Two human H5N1 avian influenza cases reported in Egypt appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Haiti has reported 1,897 cholera cases through January, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). 28 deaths were reported during this period. Since the cholera outbreak began in October 2010, months after the Jan. 12, 2010 earthquake, 797,691 cholera cases have been reported in Haiti, including 9,439 deaths. During the last week of January, the […]The post Haiti reports 1900 cholera cases in January appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

WHO today published its first ever list of antibiotic-resistant “priority pathogens” – a catalog of 12 families of bacteria that pose the greatest threat to human health. The list was drawn up in a bid to guide and promote research and development (R&D) of new antibiotics, as part of WHO’s efforts to address growing global […]The post WHO: New antibiotics critical for CRE, A. baumanii; MSF statement appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A powerful class of antibiotics provides life-saving relief for people with cystic fibrosis; however, a new study for the first time reveals the levels at which high cumulative dosages over time significantly increases the risk of permanent hearing loss in these patients. Cystic fibrosis, or CF, is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs […]The post Antibiotics used to treat cystic fibrosis increases risk of permanent hearing loss appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Many recent reports have found multidrug resistant bacteria living in hospital sink drainpipes, putting them in close proximity to vulnerable patients. But how the bacteria find their way out of the drains, and into patients has been unclear. Now a team from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, has charted their pathways. The research is published […]The post Multidrug resistant bacteria found in hospital sinks and how they reach the patient: Study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The adage that kids are growing up too fast these days has yet another locus of applicability. In a new, first-of-its-kind study, researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have found a 700-percent surge in infections caused by bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceae family resistant to multiple kinds of antibiotics among children in the […]The post Antibiotic resistance: A burgeoning problem for kids too appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the ongoing hepatitis E outbreak in Chad, The Ministry of Public Health of Chad has officially declared an epidemic of Hepatitis E in the region of Salamat, south-eastern Chad. The epidemic has already claimed the life of 12 people, including 4 pregnant women. A total of 956 cases have been identified […]The post Hepatitis E outbreak: 12 deaths reported in Chad appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Fiji Ministry of Health has recorded 143 dengue fever cases since the beginning of the year, according to a Fiji Times report. Health officials note that Western Division has reported the most at 88, followed by Northern Division (30) and the Central/Eastern Division (25). Health officials are urging the public to take immediate actions to destroy […]The post Fiji reports scores of dengue fever cases in 2017 to date appeared first on Outbreak News Today.