Outbreak News Today

The Philippines reported in excess of 200,000 dengue fever cases in 2015 and early in 2016, the archipelago has reported an increase of some 30 percent through the first quarter of 2016. In the Visayas, one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, the others being Luzon and Mindanao, the provincial health office in […]

With beach season just around the corner, you might be thinking about waxing to achieve a hair-free body before summer. Unlike shaving, waxing can leave skin feeling smooth and soft for many weeks, but only if you do it properly, say dermatologists. “At-home waxing can be an affordable method for hair removal, but it’s important […]

A new experimental antibiotic developed by a team of scientists at Rutgers University successfully treats the deadly MRSA infection and restores the efficacy of a commonly prescribed antibiotic that has become ineffective against MRSA. In research published in the July issue of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Rutgers scientists say that the combination of their newly […]

The Norwegian Veterinary Institute, or Veterinærinstituttet, announced a case of the prion disease, Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), in a young, pregnant moose from Selbu in Sør-Trøndelag near the Sweden border, according to a recent release (computer translated). This case follows a CWD case in a reindeer reported in Norway in April this year. The moose had shown abnormal behavior and […]

The Florida Department of Health reported an additional seven travel-associated Zika virus cases today, bringing the total cases, pregnant women of not, to 183. Four of the cases were from Broward County, while Palm Beach County reported two more and Seminole County saw one. To date, Florida has reported 145 total cases not involving pregnant […]

The New Mexico Department of Health announced today that a 25-year-old man from McKinley County died of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). It is the fifth case of HPS in New Mexico this year. An environmental investigation will be conducted at the individual’s home to help reduce the risk to others. Hantavirus is a deadly disease […]

The third meeting of the Emergency Committee (EC) convened by the Director-General under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR 2005) regarding microcephaly, other neurological disorders and Zika virus was held by teleconference on 14 June 2016, from 13:00 to 17:15 Central European Time. In addition to providing views to the Director-General on whether the event […]

One of the most annoying diseases in human beings is the flu. This is because the disease comes with some of the most irritating symptoms including a running nose, itchy nose, watery eyes, sneezing uncontrollably, a fever, general discomfort and feeling generally low. The only cure for the flu is to let it take full […]

Between Jan. 1 and May 16, 2015, the state of Maine reported no cases of acute hepatitis B. But things have changed during the same period this year. According to the Maine Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 15 confirmed cases of acute hepatitis B cases confirmed in Maine between January 1 and May 16, a rate of […]

Kellogg Company Monday announced that it is voluntarily recalling certain varieties and limited dates of production of Mother’s®, Keebler®, Kellogg’s® Special K® brownies, Murray® and Famous Amos® snacks and cookies because they may contain undeclared peanut residue. Kellogg initiated the recall after its supplier, Grain Craft, recalled wheat flour that has the potential to contain […]

Researchers have shown that the glucose-lowering drug liraglutide safely and effectively decreases the overall risk of heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death for people with type 2 diabetes. These patients are at high risk for cardiovascular disease, which is the number one killer of people with type 2 diabetes. Liraglutide was also associated with a […]

Late last month, 42 days after the detection of the last Lassa fever case in the country, the Lassa fever outbreak in the west African country of Benin was declared over. During the course of the outbreak, through the last case in April, a total of 54 suspected cases, including 28 deaths, were reported from eight regions: Borgou […]

The New Mexico Department of Health is reporting ten cases of plague and 19 cases of tularemia in dogs and cats in multiple counties in 2016. In addition, recent rabbit die offs due to tularemia have been confirmed in the Santa Fe and Eldorado areas of Santa Fe County. Confirmatory testing was conducted at the Department’s […]

Officials on the Indian Ocean archipelago, Mayotte have reported an “abnormal” number of cases of the bacterial infection, leptospirosis in 2016 to date. According to the Journal of Mayotte, “Since the beginning of the year, 147 cases were reported, a record. For the record, in 2015, our department had registered 90 sick throughout the year.” Leptospirosis is caused […]

In a follow-up to reports on the diarrhea outbreak that has struck parts of the Eastern Visayas, particularly Samar province, DOH Regional Director Minerva Molon says the death toll has reached 44 as of today, up 11 over the weekend. The poor sanitation and tainted water has resulted in nearly 3500 illnesses in the region. Last […]

After recording twelve fatalities due to H1N1 influenza in recent weeks, the Government of Panama announced a national health alert as the health ministry said that the country is at the gates of a flu epidemic. Health officials note that nearly 550 people are hospitalized influenza A (H1N1), including 57 patients being treated in intensive care units. “The […]

Today, Governor Rick Scott announced the activation of the Florida Disaster Fund following yesterday’s terror attack in Orlando. The Florida Disaster Fund will help provide financial support to organizations that serve survivors, their families, and all those in need. To make a contribution, please visit www.FloridaDisasterFund.org. Governor Scott said, “We are committed to ensuring that […]

An outbreak of anthrax has killed two and infected another 10 in Dabuguda village in Renga panchayat under Kashipur block in Odisha’s Rayagada district, according to local media. The survivors are reported as in critical condition. The source of the anthrax is under investigation. In addition, the Times of India reports the death of three elephants […]

Taiwan health officials are advising the public to take steps to prevent chigger bites as the number of scrub typhus rise in areas of the country. According to Taiwan CDC’s surveillance data, as of June 2016, a total of 117 scrub typhus cases have been confirmed in Taiwan this year, including 27 cases in Taitung County, […]

On Friday, Puerto Rico Secretary of the Department of Health, Ana Ríus Armendariz, updated the public on the latest data on the Zika virus outbreak on the island (computer translated). She announced the confirmation of 149 new cases, bringing the total to 1,501, among them, 14 pregnant women for a total of 182 hospitalizations and 6 for a total of […]

About 80 percent of patients with moderate to severe psoriasis saw their disease completely or almost completely cleared with a new drug called ixekizumab, according to three large, long-term clinical trials led by Northwestern Medicine. The results of these phase III trials were compiled in a paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine. […]

Angola: 2954 suspected cases From the beginning of the outbreak on 15 December 2015 to 8 June 2016, Angola has reported 2954 suspected cases of yellow fever including 328 deaths. Among those cases, 819 have been laboratory confirmed. Despite extensive vaccination campaigns in several provinces, circulation of the virus persists. As of 8 June 2016 […]

A Hong Kong woman has reportedly contracted the bacterial disease, brucellosis, after traveling to Mainland China, according to Hong Kong officials. On May 19, 2016, the Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) recorded a case of brucellosis affecting a 51-year-old woman with underlying illnesses. She presented with on and off abdominal pain and fever […]

The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is investigating an additional suspected case of botulism after receiving injections of botulinum toxin in the Mainland, and again urged the public that such injections should only be prescribed and performed by registered doctors. The female patient, aged 21 with good past […]

In a follow-up on the mumps outbreak at Purdue University, state health officials reported Friday that the case count at the West Lafayette, Indiana campus increased by 17 confirmed cases during the past week, bringing the total to 48. Informational signs are again being sent to building deputies for posting in campus facilities to let people […]

In a follow-up on the human anthrax outbreak in northern Bangladesh, the Sirajganj Health District puts the total human anthrax case count at 125 through May 30 from Ullapara, Shahzadpur and Kamarkhand upazilas (counties) and experts say Sirajganj is the most vulnerable to anthrax infection because the germ of the disease has been there since a long […]

There are over 80,000 people on the kidney transplant waiting list – and many people wait more than 5 years for a kidney from a deceased donor. The waiting list has doubled in size over the past 10 years – and it continues to grow. A staggering 4,500 people die every year waiting for a […]

NoGii is voluntarily recalling its Nuts About Berries Paleo Bars because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high […]

In a significant progress against neglected tropical diseases in WHO South-East Asia Region, Maldives and Sri Lanka have eliminated lymphatic filariasis, a disease that was crippling people for decades, forcing them to lead a life of stigma, discrimination and poverty. “The achievement by Maldives and Sri Lanka demonstrates the resolve of these countries and the […]

As of Friday, laboratory tests indicate that an Elmore County cat died from plague, and initial tests on a second cat have come back as positive. Additional testing is being done. Both cats had contact with ground squirrels before becoming ill. Family members and other household pets are being monitored to ensure the cat did not […]

The number of measles cases in the outbreak associated with the private detention facility in Eloy has grown by two Friday, according to Arizona state health officials, bring the total to 16. The two additional cases, both from Pinal County, do not pose a risk to the public, health officials note. To date, 15 cases have been […]

On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Vaxchora, a vaccine for the prevention of cholera caused by serogroup O1 in adults 18 through 64 years of age traveling to cholera-affected areas. Vaxchora is the only FDA-approved vaccine for the prevention of cholera. Cholera, a disease caused by Vibrio cholerae bacteria, is acquired by […]

In a follow-up to a previous report on the diarrhea outbreak that has sickened hundreds in the Eastern Visayas region, particularly the province of Samar, health officials have now officially declared the situation an outbreak in three Samar provinces: Calbiga, Sta. Rita and Catbalogan city, Samar. The declaration was made by DOH-08 regional director, Minerva Molon who […]

A health alert was issued today due to a hepatitis A risk linked to food prepared at FoodWorks Yarram located at 261 Commercial Rd, Yarram from 27 April 2016 to 9 June 2016 after a deli worker tested positive for hepatitis A, health officials note. Victoria Health advises people not to consume, and discard, any ready-to-eat products […]

County public health and environmental health officials are investigating an outbreak of campylobacteriosis associated with eating at Alejandro’s Taqueria (Alejandro’s) on Texas Street in Fairfield. “There have been increased reports of laboratory-confirmed campylobacteriosis since the beginning of June,” said Dr. Michael Stacey, Solano County Deputy Health Officer. “So far, 32 Campylobacter cases have been reported […]

Philippines health officials say they expect the cases of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) and diarrheal disease to rise with the coming rainy season in Zamboanga City. The city has already reported some 3,000 diarrheal diseases due to rotavirus and norovirus since late March, including 22 fatalities. This has prompted officials to take actions to prevent additional cases. The […]

Health officials in Allegheny County in Western Pennsylvania are reporting a laboratory-acquired Zika virus infection, which health officials are calling “unique”. The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) says the patient is a female who contracted the virus from a needle stick while working with the Zika virus on an experiment in a laboratory. Her symptoms have resolved and […]

Cigarette smoking among high school students dropped to the lowest levels since the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) began in 1991, but the use of electronic vapor products, including e-cigarettes, among students poses new challenges according to the 2015 survey results released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although current cigarette […]

The China National Health and Family Planning Commission reported yesterday an additional human case of avian influenza A(H5N6). The case involves a 50-year-old man who lives in Xiangxi, Hunan. The patient developed symptoms on May 23 and was admitted to a local hospital on May 28. He is now in a critical condition. This is […]

The World Health Organization (WHO) today declared the end of the most recent outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Liberia. This announcement comes 42 days (two 21-day incubation cycles of the virus) after the last confirmed Ebola patient in Liberia tested negative for the disease for the second time. Liberia now enters a 90-day period […]

The wildlife conservation group, the Born Free Foundation, has come out criticizing and condemning an apparent plan sanctioned by the Zambian government- to cull 2000 hippopotamuses over the next five years. The justification? A ‘wildlife management tool’ to prevent the future spread of anthrax among wild animals. However, the motivations for the cull are in question as Born […]

Less than two months ago, we reported on the first case of Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) in the state of Florida in a Polk County Quarter Horse. On Monday, the fourth EEEv case was reported in a horse in the Sunshine State, this time in Palm Beach County. The 14 month old, vaccinated Arabian had […]

Since Nov. 1, 2015, sixty-three confirmed Elizabethkingia anophelis cases have been see in the Wisconsin outbreak with an additional case being reported today by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS). In addition, four possible cases have been reported although confirmation will not be possible due to unavailability of the strain. The majority of patients acquiring these infections are over […]

El Dorado County health officials have been notified by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) that a flea from a Yellow pine chipmunk in the Tahoe area has tested positive for plague. The flea was sampled from one of three rodents trapped in the Fallen Leaf Campground area during routine plague surveillance May 18, […]

An outbreak of diarrheal disease in the Eastern Visayas, particularly the island of Samar has accounted for 1, 476 cases of illness and 21 deaths, according to local health officials. The outbreak has prompted the Department of Health to dispatch a team to the Samar region where the cities of Catbalogan, Calbiga and Las Navas have all […]

Health officials in Collier County, Florida announced Tuesday a confirmed local measles case in an adult male. This is the first measles case in Florida in 2016. It’s unclear how the unidentified Collier county man contracted the disease. Health officials are working to limit exposure and will notify persons with exposure risks. “Measles is a […]

Pharmavite LLC has recalled specific lots of Nature Made® products detailed in the chart below due to possible Salmonella or Staphylococcus aureus contamination. We are initiating this recall out of an abundance of caution to protect public health. Pharmavite is working closely with the FDA to implement this recall and we are notifying all retail […]

Larimer County Department of Health and Environment officials reported Tuesday the first report of a case of West Nile virus (WNV) in a Loveland resident. The patient showed symptoms consistent with West Nile virus, and blood tests revealed West Nile virus infection. The resident was not hospitalized. Infection likely occurred the last full week of May. West Nile […]

On Tuesday, Thailand received validation from WHO for having eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis, becoming the first country in Asia and the Pacific region and also the first with a large HIV epidemic to ensure an AIDS-free generation. The Minister of Health of Thailand was presented with the certificate of validation during a ceremony […]