Outbreak News Today

The mosquito borne viral disease, yellow fever, has caught the attention of health authorities world wide and the focus remains on Angola. Since early December, the Ministry of Health has reported a total of 3137 suspected cases of which 847 are laboratory confirmed. The total number of reported deaths is 345, of which 112 are […]

A person in the Three Rivers Health Department area (Dodge, Saunders and Washington Counties) tested positive for West Nile virus according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. The person was not hospitalized. “This is the first human case so far this season and there will be more,” said Dr. Tom Safranek, State […]

The Health and Family Planning Commission of Liaoning Province announced the first human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) in the northeastern Chinese province. According to officials, the male patient aged 67 from Shenyang was in stable condition. Close contacts and those with the same exposure were put under medical observation with no abnormalities so far. From 2013 to […]

The measles outbreak in Arizona linked to the Eloy Detention facility has grown by one additional case in Pinal County, according to Arizona state health officials. This brings the total cases in the current outbreak to 17, sixteen being in Pinal County. The Arizona Department of Health Services reports the following locations as possible exposure […]

Following the recent plague deaths of two Elmore County, Idaho cats, the Central District Health Department has reported a third cat that tested positive for the agent of plague, Yersinia pestis, in Ada County. Unlike the Elmore County cats, this current case is being treated and is recovering. Plague has also been reported in a Clark County […]

The first case of West Nile virus (WNV) disease for the 2016 mosquito season in Oklahoma has been confirmed in a Pittsburg County resident. In addition, collections of mosquitoes which tested positive for WNV have been previously reported by public health officials at the Tulsa and Oklahoma City-County Health Departments. The Oklahoma State Department of […]

I am often asked ‘WHY’? Why is it so difficult to get treated for Lyme disease? Why don’t we have proper testing? Why do doctors know so little about this illness? Why do we, as Canadians, have to cross the border for treatment? Why do we hear that there are no ticks in this city, province, […]

In a follow-up to the H1N1 influenza outbreak in Panama, which the government recently declared a national health alert, La Prensa reports (computer translated) that Panamanian Health Minister Francisco Javier Terrientes submitted his resignation, according to sources close to President Juan Carlos Varela. Terrientes replacement has already bee chosen–Deputy health minister, Miguel Mayo. The outbreak has […]

The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) Department of Health reported two new cases of Zika in the territory. According to the weekly Zika surveillance report, the total number of confirmed positive cases in the USVI is now 26, 16 cases on St. Croix, 9 cases on St. Thomas and 1 on St. John. There is also […]

India is planning a polio immunization drive in high-risk areas of Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts starting next Monday to ensure all vulnerable children living in high-risk areas are given protection against polio. Some 300,000 children will be vaccinated using the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV). India has done what some thought was unlikely at one time, they have been […]

In a follow-up to a report last week concerning a planned cull of hippopotamus in the Luangwa River Valley of Zambia due to “potential future anthrax spread”, the wildlife conservation organization, Born Free reports the Zambian government has suspended the cull. According to the wildlife charity, the Zambian Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) suspended the […]

Philippines health officials are expected to announce the laboratory results of the yet unknown etiologie(s) at a press conference later today. The outbreak of diarrhea has affected some 3500 people in Samar and Leyte and killed 44. The municipality of Sta. Rita has 327 afflicted persons, the most number of cases followed by Calbiga with […]

Through the first four months of 2016, Vietnamese health officials have reported 25,441 cases of dengue including 10 deaths in approximately two-thirds of the provinces. This is an increase of 179 percent compared to the same period in 2015 (through May 10 last year, Vietnam saw 10,892 cases of dengue). Health officials also note that compared […]

A child who recently visited Hawke’s Bay, has been confirmed as having measles. The child visited a number of public places in the Napier area including the National Aquarium on 9th June between 10am and 12 noon. Rachel Eyre Hawke’s Bay District Health Board’s Medical Officer of Health said measles is a very infectious disease, […]

Health officials in China have reported a total of six human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) in Tianjin, Beijing, Hebei and Jiangsu. According to the Tianjin Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning, two patients from Langfang (Hebei) and Binhai New Area (Tianjin) were hospitalized for management of severe pneumonia. Both had contact with poultry but […]

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 […]