Outbreak News Today

In late February, Tropical Cyclone Winston raked across the island of Fiji as a Category 5 storm with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph, becoming the first such storm on record to hit the island. The damage was immense. 44 people died on Fiji and neighboring islands and on Fiji, some 55,000 homes were damaged or destroyed and approximately 350,000 people—roughly […]

Two chickenpox outbreaks reported in two southern Michigan counties since the beginning of the year has prompted health officials to urge vaccination against the viral disease. Seven cases of chickenpox have been reported to the health department’s St. Joseph County office this past week. In January, the Michigan Disease Surveillance System confirmed seven cases in […]

Cambridge, Mass. biopharmaceutical company, Genocea Biosciences, Inc., announced this week positive 12 month efficacy data from its Phase 2 dose optimization trial evaluating GEN-003 for the treatment of genital herpes. GEN-003 demonstrated sustained and statistically significant reductions compared to baseline in the rate of viral shedding 12 months after dosing across multiple dose groups as well as […]

In an update on the yellow fever outbreak in Angola, which has been described as the worst outbreak in 30 years, UN health officials report that as of Mar. 29, total suspected cases reported are 1409 of which 490 were laboratory confirmed. Total number of deaths reported as of 29 March is 198. Of the […]

In a tragic situation in São Paulo, Brazil, a cataract campaign that took place on Jan. 30 has resulted in 18 people becoming blind due to contaminated surgical instruments, according to a G1. Globo.com report (computer translated). Patients were blinded after cataract surgery on the joint effort of the Hospital das Clinicas Alvarenga, in São Bernardo […]

Coccidioidomycosis is typically found in the Southwestern United States, as well as parts of Central and South America; however, since 2010, a total of nine human cases of Valley Fever have been reported from Yakima (4), Benton (3), Franklin (1), and Walla Walla (1) counties in Washington state. In addition, soil samples collected from areas where the […]

Florida health officials reported on three additional travel associated Zika virus cases Friday, including one in a pregnant woman, the fifth such case to be reported in the state. In addition to the case in the pregnant woman from an undisclosed county (the Florida Department of Health is not sharing the counties for pregnant women […]

Taiwan health officials are urging the public to avoid unsafe sex in light of the new numbers on gonorrhea cases on the island released earlier this week. According to the surveillance data compiled by Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the number of gonorrhea cases reported increased from 2,622 in 2014 to 3,584 in 2015, reflecting a […]

On 24 March 2016, the National IHR Focal Point for France notified PAHO/WHO of a fetus with concomitant microcephaly and Zika virus infection in Martinique. The diagnosis of microcephaly was made at 22 weeks and one day of pregnancy on 10 March. On 17 March, the fetus’s samples were collected and tested at the Centre […]

Alimentos Congelados, S.A. (Pinula) is voluntarily recalling 1,800 cases of Frozen Broccoli Cuts 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 […]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel notice for the island of Kosrae in the Federated States of Micronesia after reports of local transmission of Zika virus. Local mosquito transmission means that mosquitoes in the area are infected with Zika virus and are spreading it to people. Travelers to areas with cases […]

In a follow-up to the continuing coverage of the E. coli O157 outbreak linked to a Lebanon, CT farm, Connecticut health officials (DPH) are now reporting 34 confirmed cases of E. coli O157 infection linked to the farm, up from 15 case one week ago. Health officials say the patients include six adults and 28 children […]

Researchers including Jacques Banchereau of The Jackson Laboratory have uncovered distinct molecular subgroups of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), providing an explanation for why clinical trials might fail and opening opportunities for new and more targeted treatments of the disease. Their findings are published in the journal Cell. SLE is an incurable, systemic autoimmune […]

Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is announcing a voluntary recall of one lot of Imperial Choice Mandarin Oranges Broken Segments in Light Syrup because some of the cans from this lot may leak, bulge or burst open. The product may be contaminated by spoilage organisms or pathogens, which could lead to serious or life-threatening illness […]

Health authorities in Fiji have seen the number of conjunctivitis, or “pink eye” cases in one district of Suva jump to 5,000 cases in two weeks, according to a Radio New Zealand report today. According to the health ministry’s communicable disease advisor, Mike Kama, this is equivalent to the number of cases the entire island reports annually. “You […]

In a follow-up report on the mumps outbreak in North Dakota, health officials today put the case count at 14 since late February. Eight of the cases were reported from Ward County while case were also reported from Stark, McHenry, and Cass Counties. Mumps is a viral illness best known for the puffy cheeks and swollen […]

Lassa fever has killed more than 160 people in West Africa, most of them in Nigeria, since November 2015. Many of these lives could have been saved if a rapid diagnostic test were available so that people could receive treatment early. Since November 2015, Nigeria, Benin, Sierra Leone and Togo have reported more than 300 […]

WHO’s office in Guinea says more than 1,000 contacts have been identified and placed under medical observation. Nearly 800 have been vaccinated over the past week, including 182 who are considered to be high-risk contacts. The VSV-EBOV vaccine currently being administered was found to be highly effective in preventing Ebola infection in a large trial […]

Wales health officials are reporting a cryptosporidium outbreak linked to lambs at Coleg Gwent’s farm in Usk, Monmouthshire in south-east Wales. Three people have tested positive for cryptosporidium and eight others are under investigation after a regular attendance at the farm. According to Heather Lewis, Consultant in Health Protection for Public Health Wales, “All the confirmed cases had direct […]

Lab results confirm a new case of Ebola virus disease in Liberia — a 30-year-old woman who died yesterday afternoon while being transferred to a hospital in the capital Monrovia. Liberia’s Ministry of Health, WHO and partner agencies immediately sent a team to the community outside Monrovia where the woman lived and the clinic where […]

In addition to battling the importation of yellow fever into the country from Angola, Chinese health officials still report imported Zika virus infection in travelers to the Western hemisphere. According to the National Health and Family Planning Commission and the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, two additional imported cases of Zika Virus Infection […]

A research team led by University of Arkansas chemist Jingyi Chen and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences microbiologist Mark Smeltzer has developed an alternative therapeutic approach to fighting antibiotic-resistant infections. The novel method uses a targeted, light-activated nanodrug consisting of antibiotic-loaded nanoconstructs, which are nanoscale cages made of gold and coated with polydopamine. The […]

The fungal disease that has killed more than 6 million bats in North America was confirmed in Washington State yesterday by federal biologists. The discovery of a little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) infected with White-nose Syndrome in North Bend, Wash., about 30 miles east of Seattle, marks the first time the disease has been documented […]

The Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is transmitted through mosquitoes and causes fever and joint pain that can sometimes become severe and disabling. Outbreaks of the virus have already occurred in Africa, Asia, and Europe, and in late 2013, the virus was first seen in the Americas with the number of cases dramatically increased. No vaccine to […]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced today of an investigation one of its laboratory workers who was recently diagnosed with Salmonella infection may have acquired their infection due to work they performed in a BSL-2 laboratory (a level of lab work involving pathogens that are common and treatable causes of illness). Salmonella is […]

Mosquitoes multiply easily in a span of a week, especially in places with warm weather or high humidity. Here are 16 tried and test ways to help you get rid of mosquitoes easily. Remove Stagnant Water Check outside your home if there is stagnant water. Stagnant water is usually found in pails, tires, puddles or […]

Researchers at Umeå University in Sweden have developed a method that simplifies the diagnosis of ear infections (otitis media), something which annually affects half a billion children worldwide. The software-based method automatically analyses images from a digital otoscope and enables highly accurate diagnoses. The method is described in the journal EBioMedicine. “Because of lack of […]

In a follow-up on the Elizabethkingia anophelis outbreak in Wisconsin, the state Department of Health Services today reports 62 infections (56 confirmed, 2 under investigation and 4 possible cases) and 18 deaths ( 17 deaths among individuals with confirmed Elizabethkingia anophelis infections, and an additional 1 death among possible cases). The affected counties include Columbia, Dane, Dodge, […]

A hepatitis A outbreak has hospitalized 21 people in Mombasa, Kenya in recent days, according to local media. The viral disease has been on the rise since January among schoolchildren. Mombasa Health executive Mohammed Abdi said, “We have got an outbreak of hepatitis A which we discovered in January in the schools around Mvita where we had […]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the availability of an investigational test to screen blood donations for Zika virus. The screening test may be used under an investigational new drug application (IND) for screening donated blood in areas with active mosquito-borne transmission of Zika virus. “The availability of an investigational test to screen […]

Palm Beach County has been added to the Declaration of Public Health Emergency in the state of Florida after reporting their first travel-associated Zika virus case today. This brings the state total to 76, all cases are travel associated. The Declaration currently includes the 15 affected counties – Alachua, Brevard, Broward, Clay, Collier, Hillsborough, Lee, […]

TRS Wholesale Company Ltd is recalling its Jeera (Cumin) Powder and Dhania (Coriander) Powder because salmonella has been detected in the products. The following products are affected by the recall: TRS Jeera Powder Pack size: 100g Batch no: P353340 ‘Best before’ date: 31 December 2017 TRS Dhania Powder Pack size: 100g Batch no: A481514 […]

Officials with Butler County Community College (BC3) in Pennsylvania closed the campus starting yesterday due to the confirmation of a isolated case of MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) in the Field House on BC3’s Main Campus. The Main Campus will be closed through Wednesday. BC3 has contacted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Pennsylvania Department […]

Health officials in Hong Kong are currently investigating a norovirus outbreak onboard Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth luxury liner. 150 passengers and crew have been taken ill in the outbreak. A Public Health Incident Assessment Group (PHIAG) was established to conduct the investigation this morning at Ocean Terminal Hong Kong in Tsim Sha Tsui. The queen’s namesake cruise […]

A mouse study of a reg­imen that erad­i­cated the bac­terium in the test tube, set­ting the stage for human trials; antibi­otic cock­tails using existing drugs; strate­gies to dis­cover new drugs that selec­tively target the Lyme bac­terium; and ways to alter the com­po­si­tion of the microbiome—the com­mu­nity of microor­gan­isms inhab­iting the human body—to stop the autoim­mune […]

An anthrax outbreak, probably linked to the consumption of infected cattle, has been reported in Bardega village, Simdega district in Jharkland state in eastern India. According to Hindustan Times report, 13 villagers have been hospitalized in the suspected anthrax outbreak. The report notes: Bardega village where the anthrax outbreak is reported is about 145 km west of […]

The number of fatalities linked to Angola’s worst yellow fever outbreak in 30 years has risen to 185, according to media accounts. Of the 185 deaths, 141 have been reported (76%) in Luanda province alone. A statement from the Angolan Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization, also revealed that since March 27th 483 […]

The Health and Family Planning Commission of Anhui Province is reporting a human case of of avian influenza A(H7N9). Health officials note the patient is a 45-year-old man who lives in Xuancheng. He had recent history of contact with poultry and is currently in critical condition. This is the 31st case reported in Anhui Province since 2013 and […]

Researchers at the University of Georgia and Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, announced today the development of a vaccine that protects against multiple strains of both seasonal and pandemic H1N1 influenza in mouse models. They published their findings recently in the Journal of Virology. Researchers from UGA and Sanofi Pasteur, which has a […]

In what would be considered good news for many parents a new study from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston finds the rates of ear infections during a baby’s first year have declined; the investigators suggested that higher rates of breastfeeding, use of vaccinations and lower rates of smoking may be the major […]

Many people in U.S. households where someone is pregnant or considering getting pregnant in the next 12 months are not aware of key facts about Zika virus, according to a new poll by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health researchers. The nationally representative poll of 1,275 adults, including 105 who live in households where […]

Efforts to combat the rapid spread of Zika virus got a boost this week as researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston (UTMB) announced the first peer-reviewed publication of a mouse model for Zika infection reported in decades. Several research institutions and companies have vaccine and drug candidates nearly ready to test, but […]

Approximately one year after the Disneyland measles outbreak that affected 131 people, California Health officials say they are investigating a child diagnosed with measles in Nevada County. The unvaccinated child showed symptoms of measles after returning to California from travel overseas. The child has fully recovered but many persons have been exposed including other unvaccinated students […]

Health officials in Pennsylvania have reported three additional Zika virus cases, bring the state total to 11 imported cases. The Pennsylvania Department of Health says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 11 Zika cases and another 211 tests pending. Zika virus is a generally mild illness that is spread primarily through […]

The Arizona Department of Health Services and the Maricopa County Department of Public Health confirmed today the state’s first case of Zika virus in a Maricopa County resident. The older adult woman traveled outside of the United States to a Zika affected area before developing symptoms of illness. “We have been expecting a travel associated […]

Health officials in Puerto Rico are reporting 101 additional Zika virus infections on the island during the past week, according to a news release Monday (computer translated). Sixteen of the cases were reported in pregnant women. This brings the total locally transmitted cases to 350 and 40 in pregnant women. In addition, Secretary of the Department […]

The Bahamas Ministry of Health and its agencies including the Public Hospitals Authority, Department of Public Health and the Pan American Health Organization in an update Monday maintains that a suspected case of Ebola at the Princess Margret Hospital is unlikely. A meeting was held this morning with senior Health Officials led by the Minister of […]

The 9th meeting of the Emergency Committee convened by the WHO Director-General under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) regarding the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa took place by teleconference on Tuesday, 29 March 2016. The Committee was requested to provide the Director-General with views and perspectives as to whether the event […]

The incidence of dengue fever in southeast Asia continues to be high in a number of the countries, including Thailand and Malaysia. The Department of Epidemiology in Thailand puts the total case count through Mar. 28 at 13,411 in all 77 provinces. Three additional dengue related fatalities were reported in the past week bringing the […]

Rockland County health officials reported Monday of a bacterial meningitis fatality. The individual was a foreign national who was visiting relatives for the holidays. During the visit, the individual fell ill and was taken by the family to a local hospital. Health officials do not specify what country the deceased was from or any other […]