Outbreak News Today

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded $2.4 million to Chicago ($200,000), Houston ($400,000), New York City ($700,000), Philadelphia ($345,000), and Los Angeles County ($720,000) to establish, enhance, and maintain information-gathering systems to rapidly detect microcephaly–a serious birth defect of the brain–and other adverse outcomes linked to Zika virus infection. This funding is […]

CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, and Martha Lucía Ospina Martínez, MD, MPH, MBA, Director General of Colombia’s Instituto Nacional de Salud (INS), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on Zika virus response activities in Colombia, particularly the effect of Zika virus during pregnancy. The new MOU includes collaboration between CDC and […]

Summit Import Corp., at 100 Summit Place, Jersey City, New Jersey, is recalling Yu Yee brand Black Pepper Powder packed in clear plastic 19.4oz bottles under lot No. WH76 because it was found contain Salmonella an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with […]

The New Mexico Department of Health reports plague in a 67-year-old man from Bernalillo County whose illness was likely caused by a bite he sustained from a wild prairie dog from Santa Fe County. The man was hospitalized and now is home recovering. Confirmatory testing was performed at the Department’s Scientific Laboratory Division. This is […]

A Kingston, NY woman has reportedly died after contracting the “brain-eating amoeba”, Naegleria fowleri, according to a Daily Freeman report Thursday. The deceased is identified as 19-year-old Kerry Stoutenburgh, a film student at CUNY Brooklyn College. According to the report, Stoutenburgh died Wednesday at HealthAlliance Hospital’s Broadway Campus in Kingston with the diagnosis of “Naegleriasis,” […]

Health officials in Spain have reported two locally acquired Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) cases, a first in the country, according to a Ministry of Health announcement Thursday (computer translated). According to officials, the initial case was a patient who was treated at a Madrid hospital. The individual has since died. The second case is a female ICU […]

The Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) reported today on 31 additional new cases of locally transmitted Zika virus infection. Of the 31, three cases are not linked to any existing cluster. They live in Tagore Avenue, Yishun Street 81 and Harvey Crescent. One of the cases confirmed today is pregnant; she is linked to the Aljunied Crescent/Sims Drive […]

A study supported by FAPESP and coordinated by researchers at the São José do Rio Preto Medical School (FAMERP) in São Paulo State, Brazil, suggests official statistics may underestimate the size of the epidemic caused by Zika virus. Some cases of Zika may be misreported as dengue, the authors also argue. The team, led by […]

Earlier this week, we reported on the arrests of of two terror suspects in Kenya, part of an extremist cell of medics loyal to ISIS who had plans of an anthrax attack in the country. This followed other “terror medics” arrested in May who were planning a “large-scale” biological terrorist plot. Outbreak News Today reached out to Laboure College […]

Beginning September 1, all public and private school students entering 7th or 12th grades in New York State will be required to be vaccinated against meningococcal disease (types A, C, W and Y) in order to attend school, thanks to a new state law. Meningococcal disease is a rare but dangerous disease that strikes without […]

Toronto Public Health has received laboratory confirmation that an adult resident in Toronto has tested positive for West Nile virus. This is the first human case testing positive for West Nile virus in Toronto for 2016. Two probable cases of West Nile virus have also been reported to Toronto Public Health and are under investigation. […]

Multiple federal health agencies including the FDA, CDC and state and local officials are investigating hepatitis A virus (HAV) infections linked to frozen strawberries in smoothies served in Tropical Smoothie Cafe restaurant locations. The investigation began in early August when the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) identified an outbreak of hepatitis A cases potentially linked to smoothies […]

A Duval County resident has tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV) becoming the third case in the state of Florida this year. In addition, the Florida Department of Health in Duval County (DOH-Duval) advised residents there has been an increase in mosquito-borne disease activity in areas of Duval County. Health officials say the risk […]

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) today confirmed the death of a Hinds County resident from West Nile virus (WNV), the first WNV human death of 2016. “This sadly serves as an important reminder of the severity of West Nile virus, even though most of us will have no symptoms at all or the […]

The Florida Department of Health (DOH) reported two additional locally transmitted Zika virus infections in Miami-Dade County– One is associated with the area in Miami-Beach. The other is associated with Wynwood and experienced symptoms in July. This brings the total of non travel-associated Zika cases to 49. Earlier today, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services […]

Ontario province has reported 15 additional cases of the parasitic infection, Cyclosporiasis, in the past week, bringing the total in the province to 71 and the Canadian outbreak total to 81. Canadian health agencies continue to investigate locally-acquired Cyclospora infections in four provinces- British Columbia (1), Alberta (2), Ontario (71), and Quebec (7). One patient required hospitalization for […]

After reporting 47 locally transmitted Zika virus cases in Florida through Aug. 31- in Pinellas, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties- state agriculture officials have finally and not surprisingly detected the virus in mosquitoes in an affected area. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has detected Zika in three mosquito samples from a small […]

Snyder’s-Lance, Inc. is initiating a voluntary recall of Diamond of California® Macadamia Nuts, distributed in retail stores nationwide, due to possible Salmonella contamination. Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, […]

Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc. has initiated a voluntary recall of Entenmann’s Little Bites Fudge Brownies (5 pack), Chocolate Chip Muffins (5 pack and 10 pack boxes) and Variety Pack (20 pack) due to the presence of small pieces of plastic caused by a manufacturing failure at a contract manufacturer’s bakery in Illinois. The product being […]

Uganda has successfully freed 821,230 people, the largest number to be freed from river blindness globally based on the latest WHO guidelines. This has expedited the process of achieving its goal of eliminating river blindness (onchocerciasis) nationwide by 2020. At its peak, the vector-transmitted parasitic worm caused eye and skin disease in 37 districts in […]

Hospitalizations for infective endocarditis, a heart valve infection often attributed to injection drug use, have increased significantly among young adult Americans–particularly in whites and females–according to a new study by researchers from Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine. The findings, published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases on Sept. 1, shed light on […]

Officials with the Malaysia Ministry of Health are reporting a Zika virus case in a 58- year-old woman who resides in Bandar Botanic, Klang, Selangor. She is the mother of a female confirmed with Zika infection in Singapore. She and her husband visited their daughter in Singapore on Aug 19 and returned to Malaysia two days later. The […]

The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) is investigating an outbreak of Mumps in the Springdale area after two cases have been confirmed and several suspected cases have been identified. This is the largest cluster of mumps cases that Arkansas has experienced since 2010. In response to the outbreak, ADH is requiring students in the same […]

On April 1, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced in a Memorandum that an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in nursing is equivalent to an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, respectively, in biological science—allowing individuals with a nursing degree the same rights to do moderate and high complexity testing as certified laboratory professionals. In addition, the […]

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Public Health is working closely with local health departments in Berkeley and Jefferson counties to investigate reports of illnesses linked to a national outbreak of hepatitis A. Nationally, more than fifty people have been impacted by the outbreak associated with Egypt-sourced frozen strawberries used […]

Seqirus announced this week that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved AFLURIA® QUADRIVALENT (Influenza Vaccine) for use in persons 18 years of age and older. AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT is an inactivated influenza vaccine indicated for active immunization against influenza disease caused by influenza A subtype viruses and type B viruses contained in the vaccine. […]

On August 30, a new rabies case was confirmed in Brevard County, Florida. The adult mare had no previous vaccine history and had not been off the premises in over a year, according to the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC). Clinical signs began on August 26 and the horse was euthanized for humane reasons the same […]

Singaporean health officials have reported more locally acquired, or autochthonous Zika virus cases today, including the first case in a pregnant woman. She is living in the Aljunied Crescent/ Sims Drive area. The number of cases are up to 115 as of Wednesday. This includes 24 new cases reported today plus nine cases that were detected as a result […]

In a new study, 30 percent of transgender youth report a history of at least one suicide attempt, and nearly 42 percent report a history of self-injury, such as cutting. The Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center study also discovered a higher frequency of suicide attempts among transgender youth who are dissatisfied with their weight. “Our […]

Taiwan health officials reported the case of a toddler diagnosed with acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) who tested positive for enterovirus D68 (EV-D68). The case is a 5-year-old boy who resides in Taipei City and has no recent travel history. On August 14, 2016, he sought medical attention at a clinic after developing weakness in his left arm. […]

The Ministry of Health and Social Development confirmed five cases of the Zika virus in the British Virgin Islands last week. Three of the cases were tested locally and found to be positive and two cases were tested overseas and found to be positive as well. The cases were contracted in the Cane Garden Bay and […]

New guidelines for the treatment of 3 common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have been issued by WHO in response to the growing threat of antibiotic resistance. Chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis are all caused by bacteria and are generally curable with antibiotics. However, these STIs often go undiagnosed and are becoming more difficult to treat, with […]

Earlier this week, Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood made headlines for his giving his opinion about the debunked theory of the vaccines-autism link. In a video, LaHood said, “I’m here to tell you vaccines can and do cause autism.” Although LaHood was not mentioned specifically, the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District released a statement concerning this topic, which […]

Utah public health officials are investigating a cluster of illnesses associated with the consumption of raw or unpasteurized milk. To date, nine cases of Salmonella Saintpaul infection have been reported in people who reported raw milk consumption before their illness began. Onset dates range from March 20, 2016 to August 14, 2016. The cases range […]

The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) today announced that a resident of Milford has tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV) infection. This is the first human case of WNV associated illness identified in Connecticut this season. The patient, between 70-79 years of age, became ill during the fourth week of August with encephalitis […]

Two terror suspects in Kenya, part of an extremist cell of medics loyal to ISIS, were arrested Sunday after police received a tip on the diabolical plot. According to the Kenyan Anti-Terror Police Unit, Mohamed Shukri Yerrow, an intern doctor at Malindi sub-county hospital, along with Abdulrazak Abdinuur were arrested. The suspects were planning large-scale attacks akin to […]

The Florida Department of Health (DOH) reported today on three additional locally acquired Zika virus cases. The cases were reported in Miami-Dade County, one is associated with the Miami-Beach investigation. This brings the total in the state to 46. In addition, 16 new travel related cases were reported today, five in Miami-Dade, three in Palm Beach, two […]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Erelzi, (etanercept-szzs) for multiple inflammatory diseases. Erelzi is a biosimilar to Enbrel (etanercept), which was originally licensed in 1998. Erelzi is administered by injection for the treatment of: moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, either as a standalone therapy or in combination with methotrexate (MTX); moderate to severe […]

Initial data from a Liberian public health program show about 9 percent (38) of 429 male Ebola survivors had fragments of Ebola virus in their semen. Of those, 63 percent had semen samples that tested positive for Ebola fragments a year after recovering from disease and, in one man’s case, at least 565 days after […]

A 3-year-old Morris County gelding and a 1-year-old Ocean County mare have tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), a serious, mosquito-borne illness in horses. The gelding was not vaccinated against EEE while the mare was only recently vaccinated but had not yet had a booster. Both were euthanized on August 23rd and August 26th, […]

New Jersey researchers have identified what is believed to be the first strain of Escherichia coli bacteria from a patient in the United States that harbored two mobile genes making it resistant to both broad spectrum carbapenem antibiotics as well as colistin, an older antibiotic increasingly used as a last resort for multidrug-resistant infections. Their […]

The Singapore Ministry of Health reported today an additional 26 locally transmitted, or autochthonous Zika virus cases, bringing the total to 82. The local transmission of Zika virus in Singapore has prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue a travel notice to the Asian city-state. Local mosquito transmission means that mosquitoes in […]

On August 22, 2016, Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) officials notified the management of Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) of plans to investigate a case of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) identified in a team member of the facility in Hope Hull, Ala. ADPH and HMMA are working closely to ensure that the individuals potentially exposed are […]

The Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) reported on an additional 26 locally acquired Zika virus cases today. Today’s total and Monday’s new cases (15), brings the outbreak total to 82. Of today’s cases, the MOH reports 17 cases live or work in the Sims Drive/ Aljunied Crescent area and five live or work in Kallang Way and […]

Iagnosis, a leading developer of telemedicine solutions and the creator of DermatologistOnCall®, today announced a partnership with the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) to offer accessible teledermatology care options for patients needing treatment for psoriasis. NPF reports that more than 8 million Americans are affected by psoriasis, a chronic autoimmune disease that causes raised, red, scaly […]

Shigellosis is an acute bacterial disease of the intestines caused by several species of the bacterium, Shigella. It is typified by loose stools, frequently containing blood and mucus (dysentery), accompanied by fever, vomiting, cramps and occasionally toxemia. It can cause bacillary dysentery because of the invasive ability of the organism that may result ulcerations and abscesses […]

In a follow-up to a report last week about local transmission of Zika virus in Pinellas County, local media report Monday that the individual infected with the mosquito borne virus is actually a Tampa firefighter (Hillsborough County) who resides in neighboring Pinellas County. According to the WTSP report, the firefighter infected works at Fire Station […]

Health officials in Spokane County, WA reported a human case of West Nile virus (WNV), as well as four cases in horses—all likely acquired in Spokane County. This is the first human WNV case reported since 2009. Washington State Public Health Laboratory confirmed the human case, which occurred in a male in his 40s who was […]

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) is collaborating with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and other local health departments to investigate a cluster of 15 cases of Shigella flexneri infection in Los Angeles and other Southern California counties. Ten cases occurred among residents of Los Angeles County (including Long Beach […]

A Deschutes County horse has tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV), marking the first detection of the disease in Oregon horses for the 2016 season. The affected horse is a 14-year old mare with no history of vaccination for WNV. The horse is under veterinary care and is responding to treatment. Last year, six […]