Outbreak News Today

In a follow-up to a report last week, an additional three cases of mumps have been confirmed and reported in Gallatin County, MT, according to local health officials. This brings the number of cases to seven, all associated with Belgrade Public Schools. The Gallatin City-County Health Department is working closely with Belgrade schools, as well as […]

Health officials with the Caribbean island nation of Dominica have confirmed the first autochthonous, or locally acquired Zika virus infection case Wednesday. Health Minister, Dr. Kenneth Darroux said the following during the announcement: This confirmed case does not have any history of travelling outside of Dominica in the recent past and constitutes a locally transmitted (autochthonous) case. […]

Key factors that can combine to produce a Zika virus outbreak are expected to be present in a number of U.S. cities during peak summer months, new research shows. The Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is spreading the virus in much of Latin America and the Caribbean, will likely be increasingly abundant across much of the […]

Bumble Bee Foods, LLC announced today that it is voluntarily recalling 3 specific UPC codes of canned Chunk Light tuna due to process deviations that occurred in a co-pack facility not owned or operated by Bumble Bee. These deviations were part of the commercial sterilization process and could result in contamination by spoilage organisms or […]

An additional six Elizabethkingia anophelis infections has been reported during the past week in Wisconsin’s large and unusual outbreak, bringing the total cases to 54 since Nov. 2015 in twelve counties throughout southern and eastern Wisconsin–Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Jefferson, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sauk, Sheboygan, Washington and Waukesha. At least 15 people have died. And […]

A clinical trial in which volunteers were infected with dengue virus six months after receiving either an experimental dengue vaccine developed by scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or a placebo injection yielded starkly contrasting results. All 21 volunteers who received the vaccine, TV003, were protected from infection, while all 20 placebo recipients […]

One human infection with avian influenza A(H9N2) virus was reported from China recently, according to the World Health Organization. The case was a 57-year-old female from Sichuan Province. Date of illness onset is unknown as the patient was hospitalized on 9 February 2016 with a history of recurrent productive cough with fatigue and shortness of […]

The death of a 31-year-old Kenyan man from the mosquito borne virus, yellow fever, has put the country’s health workers of high alert looking out for travelers with symptoms of the disease. According to Kenyan media, the individual had been living in Angola for the better part of a decade, where there is currently a […]

In a horrible mix-up in Botswana, local media reports three units of blood that were sent to Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone city were positive for syphilis and later transfused to unknown/undisclosed patients. The tainted blood was sent by The National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) within the past couple weeks and the error was just recognized. Based on the […]

The final report into the human metapneumovirus (hMPV) outbreak at Herberton Hospital has found Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service (CHHHS) responded promptly and appropriately to the issue. The Department of Health released the Chief Health Officer’s final report Tuesday. Seven patients of Herberton Hospital, a 38-bed aged and palliative care facility, died this […]

An analysis of numerous studies and reports finds that unvaccinated or undervaccinated U.S. individuals comprised a substantial proportion of cases in measles and some pertussis outbreaks. The analysis also found a generally increased risk for measles and pertussis among people who refused vaccines, as well as an associated risk among fully vaccinated individuals. The study […]

The Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province has reported two additional human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) involving a 56-year-old man who lives in Shantou and a 39-year-old woman who lives in Zhongshan. This brings the number of H7N9 avian flu cases to 194 in the province and 712 cumulative cases on the Mainland. In […]

Student Health Services at Boston University (BU) have reported three mumps cases among undergraduate students on the Charles River Campus. Judy Platt, director of Student Health Services, says the first case was diagnosed before spring break, and the student was asked to self-isolate pending test results. Once the commonwealth’s Department of Public Health confirmed the presence […]

For the first time since the Zika virus outbreak struck Cape Verde in October last year, health officials are reporting the first case of microcephaly in newborn with probable relationship to Zika virus, according to a RFI report (computer translated). National health director, Tomás Valdez said during a press conference in Praia, “This is the first probable […]

The Togo Health Ministry has reported two Lassa fever cases in Oti district, according to a Star Africa report. The health minister called for calm in the region and asked the public to take preventive measures against the virus. Last week, the US Embassy in Lome advised US citizens about Lassa fever after reports of […]

The death toll from the yellow fever outbreak in the southern African nation of Angola has risen to 250, according to an AFP report, and some doctors there believe the situation is far worse. The outbreak that began in December continues to spread and stretch limited resources. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Yellow fever […]

Two people from the western Uganda district of Kabale have contracted the mosquito borne disease, Rift Valley fever, according to the health ministry via Bloomberg news. Three other individuals are being tested for the virus. No deaths have been reported. Kabale district is some 200 miles from the Ugandan capital of Kampala. Rift Valley Fever […]

A 21-year-old woman from Havana with no travel history outside Cuba is the first autochthonous, or locally transmitted Zika virus infection, according to a La Nación report (computer translated). Local mosquito transmission means that mosquitoes in the area are infected with Zika virus and are spreading it to people. The health ministry said in a statement, […]

The Florida Department of Health reported two additional travel associated Zika virus cases in Miami-Dade County today, bringing the state total to 62. Miami-Dade County has seen 30 cases to date. The Sunshine State also reported the first travel associated chikungunya cases of 2016 in Broward and Hillsborough counties. Florida also saw 10 imported dengue fever […]

Taiwan health officials today established a Enterovirus Response Team in case of a large scale outbreak of enterovirus 71 (EV 71), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported. This happened on the same day they reported a newly confirmed EV 71 case in a three-year-old girl. The child presented with fever in late Feb. and subsequently, she […]

The National Health and Family Planning Commission in China is reporting today on an additional human case of avian influenza A(H5N6) in Guangdong. The case involves a woman aged 40 in Huizhou, Guangdong. She developed fever and cough on February 20 and was admitted to a hospital in Huizhou on February 22. She is now in […]

March is Rabies Awareness Month each year in the Philippines where animal bites and the deadly virus is a serious issue. In 2015, a total of 432,458 animal bite cases were recorded by the Philippines Department of Health (DOH) with 226 reported deaths due to rabies. According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), 1,701,150 doses […]

A SARS-like virus found in Chinese horseshoe bats may be poised to infect humans without the need for adaptation, overcoming an initial barrier that could potentially set the stage for an outbreak according to a study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The work, led by Ralph Baric, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology […]

When you think of the infectious risks associated with improper use of contact lenses, the free-living amoeba Acanthamoeba typically comes to mind. However, newly published research in the journal Parasitology Research reveals what is described as an “unexpected event”– the detection of Balamuthia mandrillaris ( another free living amoeba (FLA)) DNA in a sample derived from the contact lens […]

The Health and Family Planning Commission of Hubei Province, China is reporting an additional human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) in an individual who developed severe pneumonia and multi-organ failure, was an imported case from a neighboring province. The patient engages in poultry trading. From 2013 to date, 710 human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) have been […]

During the first eight weeks of 2016, Argentina health officials are reporting the first chikungunya outbreak in the country as more than 1,000 cases have been recorded. 1,030 suspected cases were investigated across the country for chikungunya. Of these suspected cases, 55 tested positive for the infection (30 were classified as autochthonous cases and 25 […]

After reporting some 120,000 dengue fever cases in 2015, dengue continues to be a major issue in Malaysia in 2016 as the case count tops 30,000. According to the Ministry of Health, 30,924 dengue cases have been reported through Mar. 13. More than half the cases have been reported in Selangor state. In addition, 75 […]

The U.S. Embassy wishes to inform U.S. citizens about one confirmed and one suspected case of Lassa Fever in northern Togo. Lassa fever is a rare but potentially life-threatening viral hemorrhagic disease. The risk of contamination is low, but can occur if someone comes into contact with an infected person’s blood or bodily fluids. Lassa […]

The total number of mumps cases at the University of San Diego (USD) is now at five after three more undergraduate students were diagnosed, according to the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA). The new cases are close contacts of the first student with mumps, who was confirmed to have the highly contagious […]

Florida health officials reported one additional travel-associated Zika virus case in Miami-Dade County today, bringing the state total to 60. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released their preliminary finding on the use genetically engineered (GE) male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, strain OX513A, from Oxitec, giving it a Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The proposed […]

The number of dengue fever cases in the Philippines increased by nearly 6000 as the country of some 7000 islands reported 18,790 suspected cases of dengue as of Feb. 20, up from 12,904 suspected cases two weeks prior. In addition, 65 dengue related fatalities have been reported through the first seven weeks of 2016. In December, the […]

If you have been involved in an accident that wasn’t entirely your fault, then you might be able to make a claim for compensation. While some people jump at the opportunity to make a claim that they deserve, others shy away from the possibility but it is important to do this for a few reasons […]

Has teen celeb Kylie Jenner gone anti-vaxx? Is she following in the footsteps of other ill-informed celebrities Donald Trump, Jenny McCarthy and Kristin Cavallari? Apparently so. She recently and briefly posted the following on Twitter: a photo of a child getting a vaccine, with the caption, “Lack of food. Lack of shelter. Lack of clean water. But […]

Zika virus. A topic that has dominated the news coverage, a topic in which the research is coming out at a rapid pace. On the Sunday, Mar. 13 airing of the Outbreak News This Week Radio show, Columbia University Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Virologist and author of the popular science website, Virology Blog, Vincent Racaniello, PhD […]

The Utah legislature took a bold step late last week by becoming the first in the nation to pass a resolution declaring pornography a public health crisis. The bill, SCR009, sponsored by Sen. Todd Weiler and Rep. Curtis Oda, recognizes pornography is a public health hazard leading to a broad spectrum of individual and public health impacts and societal […]

According to Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) data released late last week, thirty-one countries/territories in the Americas have confirmed autochthonous cases of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection accounting for more than 170,000 suspected and confirmed cases. In Brazil, where the most cases have been reported, health officials report some 72,000 suspect and confirmed cases. The UN […]

A 32-year-old man from Zhejiang Province, who contracted yellow fever while in Angola, is the 1st imported case in China, according to a Xinhua report. China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission (HFPC) says the patient first experienced stage one symptoms of the disease, including fever and chills, on March 8 in Luanda, capital of Angola in […]

Recently, researchers compared the effects of tai chi to leg strengthening exercises (a physical therapy called “lower extremity training,” or LET) in reducing falls. Falls are a leading cause of serious injuries in older adults and can lead to hospitalization, nursing home admission, and even death. Arthritis, heart disease, muscle weakness, vision and balance problems, […]

The Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) is reporting that a resident has tested positive for Zika virus disease after traveling in a Central American country where the virus is circulating. This is the first travel associated Zika case reported in the state. Tests results were reported on March 9, from the Centers for […]

Three Indiana schools have reported 36 mumps cases since February, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. As of Friday, the following breakdown was reported: Indiana University (12), Butler University (21) and IUPUI (3). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of Mar. 4, 250 mumps cases were reported nationally. Related: Vaccines: […]

Angolan health authorities and national and international partners continue making tireless efforts to immunize 6.7 million people in Luanda Province and to stop the yellow fever outbreak the country has been facing since December 2015. WHO is supporting the procurement of 7.4 million doses of vaccine that will allow the vaccination of the entire population […]

Awareness Corp. of Mesa, AZ, is recalling its 7.4 ounce container of Boost Tea because it may be contaminated with Salmonella, 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 withSalmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and […]

UPDATE: Patient suspected of having Lassa fever arrives in Atlanta for treatment at Emory In a follow-up to a report on an individual who died in Cologne, Germany due to Lassa fever in late February, various reports identify the victim as 46-year-old Todd DeKryger, a medical missionary in Africa from a Grand Rapids church, a surgical physician assistant, the […]

The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the Assistant Attorney General for National Security announced last week the sentencing of a New York man for attempting to acquire ricin as a weapon, among other charges. 22-year-old Cheng Le was sentenced Tuesday to 16 years in prison for attempting to acquire ricin, postal fraud, and […]

The City of El Paso Department of Public Health is warning residents of the dangers of consuming unpasteurized cheese. This, after a local man was hospitalized after eating goat cheese purchased from an unlicensed food vendor. After complaining of fever, joint pain, and fatigue, the man who is in his midsixties, tested positive for Brucellosis. […]

Vancouver Coastal Health is warning passengers on a flight from Beijing to Vancouver could be at risk of getting measles. An individual who was on Air China flight CA991 from Beijing arriving in Vancouver March 3rd at 9:30 a.m. developed symptoms of measles after their arrival. This person was infectious during the flight. Anyone on […]

Health officials in Erie County, NY are investigating six possible mumps cases in off-campus students of SUNY Buffalo. According to University at Buffalo (UB) Student Health Services, health officials are investigating two probable and four suspected cases of mumps. Working with UB’s office of Student Health Services, the Department of Health has taken the lead on […]

Health officials in England are reporting an increase in measles in the past several weeks, prompting calls to the public to ensure they are fully vaccinated against the virus. Since the beginning of February 2016, 20 cases of measles have been confirmed across London (12 cases) and the East of England (Cambridge – 3 cases; […]

The National Health and Family Planning Commission and the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province reported an additional imported case of Zika Virus Infection on the Mainland Friday. The case involves a 19-year-old man who lives in Venezuela. He arrived at Hong Kong International Airport on February 29 and shortly later on the same […]

The number of laboratory-confirmed Zika virus cases in the United States has now topped 200. Official numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stands at 193 in 32 states and the District of Columbia as of Mar. 9. However, there are at least 10 cases reported in Florida and three in Texas […]