Outbreak News Today

Because of the two cases meningococcal disease B in University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW–Madison) students recently, University Health Services (UHS) announced they will be offering the vaccine series free of charge to students starting next Thursday. UHS will be offering the two meningitis B vaccine series, Bexsero and Trumenba, at the SERF on the following dates and times: Thursday, […]

A pill a day for 12 weeks. The new direct-acting antivirals (DAA) are effective in curing the hepatitis C virus infection, a potentially fatal disease that attacks the liver. But they are expensive–approximately $60,000 per patient. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM), The Kirby Institute, UNSW Australia, […]

Just a couple of weeks after researchers from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown in Western Pennsylvania published a study revealing that one in three deer ticks carry the Lyme bacteria, Borrelia burgdorfferi, a biology professor from Muhlenberg College in Allentown and several students tested ticks in the Lehigh Valley area of eastern Pennsylvania to determine the burden of […]

The number of cholera cases and deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to date in 2016 is significantly higher the same period in 2015, according to UNICEF data published today. Between January and October 2016, a total of 22,002 cases of cholera with 646 deaths were reported in the DRC. Compared to the same […]

In a follow-up to the multistate outbreak of Burkholderia cepacia linked to oral liquid docusate sodium manufactured by PharmaTech, Davie, Florida, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported this week that the investigation, in addition to detecting the bactertium in more than 10 lots of oral liquid docusate sodium, it also revealed B. cepacia in the water system used to […]

The World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday released an update on the monkeypox outbreak in the Central African Republic (CAR): On 6 September 2016, the Ministry of Health staff from Haute-Kotto health district alerted the central level of suspected monkeypox cases admitted at Ira Banda health centre. The index case was a hunter who fell ill […]

The Florida Department of Health (DOH) reported Thursday on a new area in Miami-Dade County experiencing local transmission of the Zika virus. DOH says they confirmed local transmission of Zika in five people, two women and three men, linked to a one square mile section of Miami-Dade–NW 79th St. to the North, NW 63rd St. to the South, NW […]

Researchers from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have developed new potential vaccines that protect animals against the bacteria that causes the deadly plague. These findings are detailed in NPJ Vaccines. The plague of Black Death infamy has had the power to strike fear in people since the Middle Ages – and for […]

The mumps outbreak in northwest Arkansas has topped 500 cases in Benton, Washington, and Madison counties. The case tally is at 520 as of Thursday, according to Dirk Haselow, MD, PhD, State Epidemiologist and Outbreak Response Medical Director for the Arkansas Department of Health. In a emailed statement from Dr Haselow to Outbreak News Today, of the 520 cases reported, 244 […]

The number of locally acquired Zika virus cases reported in the US Virgin Islands increased by 62 in the past week, bringing the total to 524. According to health officials, while the number of confirmed cases continues to grow, there has been a downward trend in new cases for more than five weeks. “We’ve […]

Eggs from small flocks of chickens are just as likely to be contaminated with Salmonella enteritidis — often referred to as SE — as eggs sold in grocery stores, which typically come from larger flocks, according to researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. That conclusion — which flies in the face of conventional wisdom […]

In a follow-up to reports on the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Hopkins, Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) said Wednesday that the likely source of the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Hopkins as a set of cooling towers at Citrus Systems, Inc., located at 415 11th Avenue South, Hopkins. The outbreak sickened a total of 23 […]

Nutrisystem announced Tuesday they were voluntarily recalling the Nutricrush Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough bar, manufactured by Noble Foods, Inc. This bar contains a chocolate chip cookie dough ingredient supplied by a third party supplier, which advised that its ingredient might potentially contain Listeria monocytogenes. The product had very limited distribution of 1 lot/455 cases to ShopRite […]

In a follow-up on the mumps outbreak in northwest Arkansas, The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) says the case count continues to grow with 492 cases as of Wednesday. The number of new cases, which had seemed to slow down recently, has begun to rise again, health officials note. Cases have been seen in the Springdale, Rogers, […]

Aspen Hills, the supplier of the cookie dough pieces used as an ingredient in the Publix Chocolate Cookie Dough Ice Cream, notified Publix that some of their product could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Publix Super Markets is issuing a voluntary recall for Publix Premium Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream due to the possibility […]

Legionella bacteria has been detected in the water supply for four maintenance hangars at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and at least one employee demonstrated symptoms related to Legionnaires’ disease. In an email response to Outbreak News Today, American Airlines spokesperson, Matt Miller wrote: One of American’s employees recently reported having symptoms of Legionnaire’s disease. That employee has now […]

The State Department of Health’s Hawai’i Island District Health Office and the County of Hawai’i jointly announced a single imported case of Zika virus on Hawai’i Island. This is the first travel-related case of Zika in Hawai’i County this year confirmed by the DOH State Laboratories Division. The Hawai’i resident has a history of recent travel […]

In a follow-up on an earlier report on two meningococcal disease cases in students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW–Madison), University Health Services (UHS) report Tuesday that both cases have been confirmed as Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B. UHS notes that additional genetic testing is being conducted to determine if the two bacteria are closely related. People who may […]

Scotland health officials reported on the confirmation of eight measles cases in the Edinburgh area in the last two weeks, prompting health officials to ensure they are vaccinated against the very contagious virus. The majority of these cases have links to the University of Edinburgh. NHS Lothian is getting in touch with people who have been in contact […]

Chikungunya virus has caused two recent massive outbreaks sickening millions of people. Now a team of researchers has shown that several existing compounds have potent activity against the critical CHIKV protease enzyme. The research is published October 10 in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, published by the American Society for Microbiology. Chikungunya is a mosquito-born, largely […]

An outbreak of chikungunya has been declared in the southern Leyte capital of Maasin City after Department of Health officials reported 548 cases in the past three months. According to DoH-8 Regional Information Officer Ma. Elena Joy Villarosa, those afflicted range in age from 9 months to 85 years old. Three barangays, or villages in Maasin […]

More than 41 million children are expected to get vaccinations against polio as part of a major new health campaign by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in the Lake Chad basin, aimed at the recent outbreak of polio in north-east Nigeria. At the regular bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva today, UNICEF spokesperson Christophe Boulierac […]

Wells Enterprises, Inc. is voluntarily recalling two lots of Blue Bunny Hoppin’ Holidoodle ice cream sold at retail outlets, because they contain snickerdoodle cookie dough pieces recalled by the supplier, Aspen Hills, due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. Wells has received no reports of illness attributable to this product. Only Hoppin’ Holidoodle ice cream […]

Mars Petcare US announced a voluntary recall of a limited number of CESAR® Classics Filet Mignon Flavor product due to a potential choking risk from hard white pieces of plastic which entered the food during the production process. CESAR® Classics Filet Mignon can be purchased individually, as well as, in flavor variety multipacks. The Lot […]

In a follow-up to a report last week concerning an anthrax outbreak in Chama district, in the northeast region of Zambia, media accounts show the outbreak has nearly tripled in cases. The case tally has reached 58 and Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya said the affected people are currently undergoing treatment and added that no deaths have […]

One week after Hurricane Matthew devastated the southwestern portion of Haiti, an estimated 1,000 deaths have been recorded and at least 1.4 million people are in need of emergency aid. “Our field teams went to Jeremie and Les Cayes by air and report that the devastation is huge,” said Dr. Jean-Luc Poncelet, PAHO’s Representative in […]

The mumps outbreaks in Arkansas and Oklahoma continue to grow in number of cases as investigations continue in the neighboring states. In Oklahoma, The Oklahoma State Department of Health puts the outbreak total at 70 cases as of Monday. 68 cases have been reported in Garfield County and two in Kay County. The vaccination status of […]

In an update on the food poisoning outbreak in the western New York counties of Erie and Niagara shows the number of cases are at least 160. The outbreak of unknown etiology has been linked to refried beans served at Mighty Taco restaurants. The Erie County Health Department reports 142 cases linked to nine Mighty Taco […]

Kraft Heinz Company, a Fullerton, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately 959 pounds of ready-to-eat “Lunchables Ham and American Cracker Stackers” packaged lunch products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The product contains wheat and soy, known allergens, which are not declared on […]

Hong Kong health officials reported four additional community acquired Legionnaires’ disease cases during the first week of October, bringing the total to 51 in 2016. From October 2 to 8, the following Legionnaires’ disease cases were reported: A male patient, aged 79 with underlying illness, who lives in Kwai Wai Building, Chik Chuen Street, Tai Wai; […]

Egypt has reported 356 human cases of avian influenza A(H5N1) since March 2006, including 121 deaths, according to The World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region Office (EMRO). During the first nine months of 2016, 10 cases have been reported. Four of the patients died from the dangerous viral disease. As Avian Flu Diary notes: Although Egypt […]

In an update on the Rift Valley fever (RVF) outbreak in western Niger, the World Health Organization (WHO) puts the case tally at 90, including 28 deaths, according to a Thomson Reuters Foundation report. The outbreak started in August in the Tahoua region. The fear from UN health officials is that the viral disease my spread in West Africa. […]

When you look at the footage out of Haiti post-Hurricane Matthew, and the devastation in the country, one can be left heartbroken for this struggling people and wonder when they’ll get a break. The official death toll from the Haitian government stands at near 400; however, estimates put the tally closer to 1,000 as of […]

Officials in Venezuela have reported an addition fatality among prisoners at Venezuela’s General Penitentiary of Venezuela (PGV) in San Juan de los Morros, bringing the total deaths to seven according to an El-Nacional report (computer translated). This is the seventh person to die from the disease since the prison stopped providing medications. In addition, the prisoners have […]

The Vietnamese Ministry of Health has reported two additional Zika virus infections, one in Binh Duong Province and one in Ho Chi Minh City, both in women. The new discovery brings Vietnam’s total number of confirmed Zika cases to five. Xinhua reports the 27-year-old pregnant woman, who lives in the town of Thuan An in Binh Duong province, […]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert out of an abundance of caution due to concerns about illnesses caused by Salmonella that may be associated with a chicken salad product sold from Costco Store #1190, in Lynwood, Wash. The chicken salad item for this public health alert […]

The Taiwan Central Epidemic Command Center for Zika Virus (CECC for Zika Virus) announced the tenth imported Zika case identified in Taiwan. The case is a 50-year-old Taiwanese female who resides in Taoyuan City. During September 23 and 27, the case traveled to Sabah, Malaysia with a tour group. On October 5, when she developed symptoms, […]

The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) reported the following data concerning dengue fever and chikungunya fever in the city Friday: Regarding imported dengue cases, the 103 imported cases so far in 2016 were mainly from Indonesia (33), the Philippines (15) and Thailand (14). As for local cases, four have […]

Last Wednesday, Nurse Assist, Inc. announced a recall of all unexpired lots of I.V. Flush Syringes due to a potential link to Burkholderia cepacia bloodstream infections with the product. To date,at least 36 potential cases of B. cepacia linked to the above products have been reported from four states- Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey. The Pennsylvania Department of Health […]

U.S. Senator and physician Rand Paul has introduced S. 3466, the Accelerating New Pharmaceutical Competition Act, to reduce red tape at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by fast tracking FDA approval of medicines and devices that have met safety and efficacy standards in other developed nations. Unnecessary bureaucratic delays have kept more EpiPen alternatives off U.S. […]

Testing of water at the University of Michigan-Flint (UM-Flint) campus in September has revealed the presence of Legionella pneumophilia in three locations in the Riverfront Residence Hall, according to an analysis report recently published. Despite the test reports, The Genesee County Health Department (GCHD) has confirmed that none of the county’s reported cases of Legionnaires’ disease are connected […]

Lewis County Public Health & Social Services announced that recent customers of the Shop’N Kart bakery in Chehalis, may have been exposed to hepatitis A. “On October 6, 2016, a case of hepatitis A in a bakery worker was reported to the Health Department,” said Danette York, Lewis County Public Health & Social Services director. […]

An outbreak of the bacterium, Burkholderia cepacia, at Hospital Dr. Luis Felipe Guevara Rojas in El Tigre, Anzoátegui State, Venezuela has sickened 22 infants, according to the College of Physicians in the country (computer translated). Pediatric infectious disease physician, Irimar Del Moral suggests the outbreak is linked to water shortages, which has been going on for six months. […]

The mumps outbreak in northwest Arkansas has eclipsed the 400 case mark as the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) puts the suspected and lab confirmed case tally at 427 as of Friday. According to an Epi-X report excerpt published on ProMED-Mail, the majority of cases are Marshallese (66 percent) and are believed to have common exposures within a […]

Nestlé USA, Inc. is initiating a voluntary recall of its Nestlé Drumstick Club 16 count Variety Pack and 24 count Vanilla Pack (with cones marked for easy individual sale) due to a possible health risk. The two pack sizes contain 4.6 fl.oz. cones and were manufactured in Bakersfield, Calif. and distributed nationally. No other production […]

The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) is currently investigating reports of illness possibly associated with Mighty Taco restaurants. The investigation is being conducted jointly with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Niagara County Department of Health, and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. At this time, the ECDOH has […]

Health officials in Vermilion County, Ill. are investigating three Legionnaires’ disease cases that occurred over the past year linked to a local hotel. The Vermilion County Health Department posted on their website: Three persons developed Legionnaires’ disease after visiting a Vermilion County hotel between October 2015 and September 2016. More details were acquired by Food Poisoning Bulletin, which notes: […]

Health authorities in Yemen confirmed a cholera outbreak on Thursday, 6 October, posing an increased health risk to the population-especially children-given the crumbling health system in the country. “This outbreak adds to the misery of millions of children in Yemen. We are supporting health centres to prevent and treat cholera cases and will continue working […]

University Health Services (UHS) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are reporting two students were hospitalized with meningococcal disease this week, with one case being identified as serogroup B. Both students are currently recovering. Additional details are not being disclosed out of respect for the medical privacy of the students and their families. UHS is coordinating […]

The mosquito vector of dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses has been named “Public Enemy #1” by the Philippines Department of Health (DOH) as the numbers for these mosquito borne illnesses rise on the Southeast Asian archipelago. Through Sep. 24, health officials put the dengue fever tally in the country 142,247 cases, an 11 percent increase from […]