Outbreak News Today

Two New York State universities are experiencing mumps outbreaks: The State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz and SUNY Geneseo, and student health at each school provided outbreak updates as follows: In New Paltz, the outbreak has grown to 63 confirmed or probable mumps cases since October. Earlier this week, health officials recommended students receive a […]The post Mumps updates at SUNY New Paltz and Geneseo appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Colombia has experienced a 4-fold increase overall in microcephaly following the Zika virus outbreak in 2016, according to a study published Friday in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. This preliminary report on Zika virus disease and microcephaly in Colombia demonstrates that an increase in microcephaly is not specific to Brazil. This finding confirms […]The post Microcephaly Risk is Highest among Pregnant Women Infected Early in Pregnancy: Study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

With flu activity on the rise in the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expressed concern over the low numbers of people who have been vaccinated to date. As of early November, only about 2 out of 5 people in the United States reported having gotten this season’s flu vaccine, yet flu […]The post Only 40 percent of Americans have received flu shot appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

As the New York Times reported this week: In recent years, few major bills have commanded as much support as the 21st Century Cures Act, which sailed to passage by votes of 392 to 26 in the House on Nov. 30, and 94 to 5 in the Senate a week later. One of the Senators who voted […]The post Dr. Rand Paul explains support of 21st Century Cures Act appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The number of cholera cases in Yemen has grown by more than 1200 cases in the past week, bringing the total suspected cases of cholera to 8975, including 89 deaths, according to The Ministry of Public Health and Population Thursday. The number of laboratory-confirmed cases of Vibrio cholerae 01 is 138. The affected areas include 135 districts […]The post Yemen: Cholera cases rise by 1,200 in a week appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

On Friday, Florida Governor Rick Scott announced that the Department of Health has cleared the Miami Beach area of ongoing, active Zika transmission. The newly cleared area is about 1.5 square miles between 8th and 28th streets. Florida no longer has any identified areas with active Zika transmission. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says […]The post Miami-Dade County is now Zika-zone free: ‘The first community in the world to break the cycle of local transmission’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Provincial public health officials confirmed today that cases of mumps continue to be reported in Manitoba. While the majority of cases are people between 17 to 29 years of age and are connected to the University of Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg and Université de St. Boniface, some cases are not connected to these sites. […]The post Mumps in Manitoba: 61 cases since September appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The country’s largest statewide mumps outbreak just continues to grow and The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) reports as of today, 2,042 suspected and lab confirmed cases. Currently, nine counties have active cases–Benton, Carroll, Clark, Conway, Faulkner, Howard, Madison, Pulaski, and Washington. The outbreak is currently affecting 50 workplaces, 33 schools in 3 school districts, 5 colleges/vocational schools, and 1 […]The post Arkansas mumps outbreak tops 2000 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up to the initial report of local Zika transmission in south Texas early last week, The Texas Department of State Health Services and Cameron County Department of Health and Human Services have identified four additional cases of suspected locally transmitted Zika virus disease in Cameron County. The cases were identified as part of the […]The post Texas reports addition Zika local transmission appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Los Angeles Equestrian Center (LAEC) Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) outbreak, which has affected 13 horses to date, has prompted the cancellation of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses 2016 Equestfest event. The event was scheduled to be held at the LAEC. Event organizers said they are committed to ensuring the safety of all Rose Parade participants, including all Equestfest […]The post Equestfest cancelled due to Equine Herpes outbreak appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province has reported an additional human case of avian influenza A(H7N9). The male patient aged 81 from Meizhou is the first human case of H7N9 reported in Guangdong in this winter. From 2013 to date, 778 human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) have been reported on Mainland China. In addition […]The post H7N9 avian influenza case reported in Guangdong, China appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Metro North Public Health Unit has confirmed a case of measles in an adult male from Kenmore who returned recently from overseas. Public Health Physician Dr James Smith said the man is believed to have visited Coles supermarket at Kenmore on Tuesday 6 December, 2016 and Thursday 8 December 2016 while unknowingly infectious. “It is […]The post Measles case prompts warning in suburban Brisbane appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The number of dengue fever cases in Thailand has grown to 58,555 cases through Dec. 6, according to the Kingdom’s Bureau of Epidemiology. Cases have been reported in all 77 provinces and 57 dengue related fatalities have been reported. The five hardest hit provinces are Maehongsorn, Songkla, Chiengmai, Pattani and Pattalung. In addition, Thailand’s disease control department […]The post Thailand: Dengue update, malaria warning appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Gardeners and spa pool owners are being warned to protect themselves against serious illness caused by Legionella bacteria. Potting mix and inadequately treated spa pools are common sources of the respiratory illness Legionellosis. Nelson Marlborough Health’s Public Health Service has received 11 notifications of Legionella infection this year, with 8 of these from 1 November. […]The post Increase in Legionella infections prompts health alert on New Zealand’s south island appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In the past two months, the mumps outbreak at the State University of New York at New Paltz (SUNY New Paltz) has grown to 46 confirmed cases, according to the Student Health Service Director, Dr. Jack Ordway Thursday. The affected students, who have been immunized against mumps, have been isolated for the recommended period of time. Student athletes […]The post Mumps at SUNY New Paltz: 46 cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Last week, health officials in Oman reported an additional case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in a 67-year-old man. The patient from Dakhlia Governorate developed symptoms on Nov. 18, and was admitted to hospital on Nov. 20. The patient who has comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on Nov. 29. He has a history of exposure […]The post Oman reports 8th MERS case appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) announced today a 59-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman, both from McKinley County, have been confirmed to have hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). These are the seventh and eighth cases of HPS in New Mexico in 2016. Both patients are hospitalized. Hantavirus infection is a deadly disease transmitted by […]The post Hantavirus: Two cases reported in McKinley County, NM appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced the passage of legislation that would take important steps to combat tick-borne diseases, which remain a significant public health threat in states across the country. The bill will now go to the President’s desk to be signed into law. “This is an important advancement to help combat the growing […]The post Lyme disease bill heads to President’s desk: Senator Gillibrand appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a letter to the campus community Wednesday from Vince WinklerPrins, MD, FAAFP, Assistant VP, Student Health Services at Georgetown University, the school reported a case of a student diagnosed with mumps. This has prompted school officials to remind student to ensure they’ve received the mumps vaccine. Georgetown joins a long list of colleges and universities reporting mumps […]The post Mumps case reported at Georgetown University appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Iron accumulation in myocardial cells, potentially resulting in heart failure or fatal arrhythmia, is one of the complications most feared by patients with thalassemia major, a hereditary disease also known as Mediterranean anemia. An article by Brazilian researchers published in the journal Blood reports that a daily dose of amlodipine combined with chelation resulted in […]The post Thalassemia treatment protocol reexamined in new study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the mumps outbreak in King County, Washington, the number of confirmed and probable cases have doubled since we last reported less than a week ago. According to Public Health – Seattle & King County on Wednesday, forty-four King County residents have been diagnosed with mumps (7 confirmed, 37 probable). Over 60% are […]The post Mumps in the Northwest: 44 cases in King County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Publix Super Markets is issuing a voluntary recall for certain Publix Premium Pancake and Waffle Mixes after being informed by the supplier that milk powder used as an ingredient may contain Salmonella. The mixes were sold at Publix stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee and North Carolina. All lot codes of the following […]The post Publix pancake mix recalled due to Salmonella risk appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a new study, researchers have modified a rabies virus, so that it has a protein from the MERS virus; this altered virus works as a 2-for-1 vaccine that protects mice against both Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and rabies. Because it uses an already-tested vaccine for rabies, the innovative combination could speed development of […]The post Researchers combine MERS and rabies viruses to create innovative 2-for-1 vaccine appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Since the beginning of the fall semester in August, the number of confirmed and probable mumps cases at the University of Missouri (MU) now stands at 193, according the MU Student Health Center today. This is up from 128 cases one week ago. Student Health reports as of today, at least 169 of these cases are considered […]The post University of Missouri mumps cases near 200, third MMR vaccine recommended appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Two weeks ago on this website we reported that the United States is seeing the most mumps cases in a decade. The number continues to rise nationally as the latest data shows that 4,258 mumps cases have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through Dec. 3. In 2006, 6,500 cases […]The post Mumps cases eclipse 4,000 in the US appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

According to the CDC, from 2014-2015, Hawaii experienced 18 food borne related outbreaks, sickening over 1,000 people, causing 211 hospitalizations, and 6 deaths. In 2016, two very public food borne illness outbreaks revived an on-going discussion on food safety on the Hawaiian Islands. Safe food handling impacts everyone but Hawaii has been without regulation requiring formal training of […]The post Who is Teaching Hawaii Food Safety to Food Handlers? appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In North Texas, the national mumps outbreak has found it’s way to Johnson County. According to health officials, there are currently 28 mumps cases in Johnson County. Twenty-three (23) of those cases are in children ages 5-18 (Alvarado – 1 adult case, Cleburne – 8 cases and Keene – 19 cases). Yesterday, the Keene ISD, along with […]The post Johnson County, TX: 28 mumps cases confirmed appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Plague, a disease many think of as something from the history books, is alive and well in many areas of the globe and is clearly no stranger to Madagascar. During the last decade, the island country reported more than 7,000 human plague cases, second most on the planet. Reports coming out of the country say […]The post Plague: Dozens of cases in Madagascar appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The emerging multidrug-resistant fungus, Candida auris, has been reported in the United States, England, and a number of other countries in recent years after first reported in Japan in 2009. Now, researchers from Colombia report 17 cases in the country. The 17 clinical isolates of C. auris were recovered from 17 patients hospitalized in 6 institutions in the northern […]The post Candida auris infections reported in Colombia: 17 cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The mumps outbreak in Arkansas is the largest in the nation this year with the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) now investigating 1,872 suspected and lab confirmed cases of mumps, easily the most in the United States. To get a better understanding of the situation in Arkansas and issues with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine where 94 percent of […]The post Mumps: An interview with Dr Dirk Haselow appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the Zika virus situation in the Philippines, health officials report an additional half-dozen confirmed cases, bringing the country total to 39 through Nov. 22, according to a Manila Standard report. Included in the new cases is a five-month pregnant woman from Binan, Laguna, the third pregnant woman testing positive for the […]The post Philippines Zika cases rise, 3rd pregnant woman infected appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Health officials with Queensland Health (QH) in the northeast corner of Australia have reported their fourth leprosy, or Hansen’s disease case of the year last week. According to QH’s Summary of notifiable conditions report, There has been one notification of leprosy in an Australian-born person who reported multiple visits to Papua New Guinea where leprosy is […]The post Leprosy in Queensland: 4th case of the year appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

After reporting an average of a thousand dengue fever cases annually over the past four decades, health officials in Myanmar report seeing 8,266 cases through the first 11 months of 2016, according to a local media account. The Nay Pyi Taw Public Health Department said that the country has also seen 40 dengue related fatalities this […]The post Myanmar dengue case tally tops 8,000 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Mosquito populations have increased as much as ten-fold over the past five decades in New York, New Jersey, and California, according to long-term datasets from mosquito monitoring programs. The number of mosquito species in these areas increased two- to four-fold in the same period. A new study finds the main drivers of these changes were […]The post DDT decay, land use linked to growing mosquito populations: Study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Seven people from three families have been sickened with anthrax in the Sagumai area of Samburu County, Kenya after slaughtering and eating an infected sheep, according to a local media report. The seven, three men, two women and two children, have been admitted to the local hospital for treatment. Officials with Samburu County Referral Hospital said two […]The post Anthrax tainted sheep linked to cluster in Kenya appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A team of researchers led by Yoshihiro Kawaoka, professor of pathobiological sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, has developed technology that could improve the production of vaccines that protect people from influenza B. That technology is an influenza B vaccine virus “backbone” that would allow producers to grow vaccine viruses at […]The post University of Wisconsin-Madison: New, more effective strategy for producing flu vaccines appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Nine cases of Klebsiella were reported at Stanger Hospital at KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province in South Africa, resulting in the death of three newborns, according to health officials via a IOL report. KZN Health spokesman Sam Mkhwanazi said, “The department is investigating whether the demise of three neonates out of the nine Klebsiella cases is directly linked to the bacterium as […]The post Klebsiella outbreak kills 3 newborns at KwaZulu-Natal hospital appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Syphilis has plagued humankind for over 500 years. After the first reported outbreaks struck Europe in 1495, the disease spread rapidly to other continents and swelled to a global pandemic.…The post Syphilis: Re-emergence traced to pandemic strain cluster according researchers appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey last week requested an additional $500,000 for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Animal Industry Bureau to aid in preparing for and potentially responding to a foreign animal disease outbreak. Northey also reiterated his support for the proposal passed by the Iowa House of Representatives last session that […]The post Iowa Agriculture Secretary seeks funds for animal disease outbreaks appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A University of Hong Kong (HKU) research team has detected H5N6 avian influenza (AI) virus in three samples of fecal droppings of birds taken from Mai Po Nature Reserve (MPNR), according to an announcement from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) today. Research team of HKU collects samples from the MPNR regularly for AI surveillance. The […]The post Hong Kong reports H5N6 avian influenza in bird droppings appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A large analysis of current research shows that people who eat at least 20g of nuts a day have a lower risk of heart disease, cancer and other diseases. The analysis of all current studies on nut consumption and disease risk has revealed that 20g a day – equivalent to a handful – can cut […]The post The health benefits of nuts: Coronary heart disease, cancer and more appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

While Mexico as a country has seen a decrease in hepatitis C cases in 2016 compared to 2015 (1.819 vs 1,955, respectively), the state of Yucatán has seen a near tripling of the viral infection this year, according to a Sipse.com report (computer translated). This year to date, Yucatán has seen 32 cases. This contrasts with the […]The post Mexico: Yucatán reports increase in hepatitis C appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

An outbreak of the bacterial disease, brucellosis, has spread in Karnataka state, India since first being reported in September, prompting fears among the population. To date, the outbreak has affected 22 cattle, according to a Bangalore Mirror report today. Animal Husbandry Minister A Manju told the Legislative Council in Belagavi on Saturday that so far 22 […]The post India: Brucellosis outbreak in Kolar, Karnataka appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Ohio agricultural officials issued a health alert Friday for unpasteurized raw milk and raw milk products from Sweet Grass Dairy’s herd share, due to contamination with Campylobacter. Sweet Grass Dairy is located in Knox County at 6049 Bryant Rd., Fredericktown, OH 43019. An investigation by the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) and the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) […]The post Campylobacter prompts health alert for raw milk in Ohio appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) confirmed the presence of cattle fever ticks on a Live Oak County premises on November 30, 2016. The infested premises is located approximately 110 miles outside of the Permanent Fever Tick Quarantine Zone. The fever ticks were discovered on a bull when evaluated by a local veterinarian and identified […]The post Cattle fever ticks, vectors of Babesia, detected in Live Oak County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

It what is considered a very rare and unusual occurrence, a representative from the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) confirmed via an email to Promed Mail that anthrax, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, has been diagnosed on a Southern Indiana beef cattle farm. According to BOAH Public Information Director, Denise Derrer, a single, mixed-breed bull died from […]The post Anthrax diagnosed on Indiana farm appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball warned consumers not to eat “Phil Am” brand Smoked Mackerel (Hasa Hasa) because the product was found to be uneviscerated. The product is sold by Asian Supermarket Group Inc., located at 1245 Central Ave in Albany, New York 12205. No illnesses have been […]The post Botulism warning issued in New York over Phil Am Smoked Mackerel appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Ministry of Public Health and Population in Yemen has reported additional cases of cholera in Yemen. To date, 7730 suspected cases of cholera, including 82 associated deaths have been reported (case fatality rate of 1.06%). Of these, 122 cases were laboratory-confirmed as Vibrio cholerae 01. The affected areas are in the governorates of Aden, […]The post Yemen reports 82 cholera fatalities in recent outbreak appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A different strain of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) causing Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) has been confirmed in one horse with mild neurologic symptoms in Inyo County, CA, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CFDA). This is the neurologic strain, which is biologically distinct from the non-neurologic strain identified in all the LA […]The post Equine Herpes Virus reported in Inyo County, California appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up to the report of mumps in Auburn, King County, Washington, the number of mumps cases in Auburn has risen to twenty-two (five confirmed, seventeen probable), according to Public Health – Seattle & King County Friday. An additional four cases are currently under investigation. Fifteen cases are between 5-17 years and all of the children diagnosed […]The post Mumps cases rise in King County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.