Outbreak News Today

CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, traveled to Puerto Rico earlier this week to assess the Zika virus situation on the island and presented some information based on his firsthand account at a telebriefing on Thursday. “The bottom line here is that Puerto Rico is on the front line of the battle against Zika and […]

The very unusual Elizabethkingia anophelis outbreak reported in a dozen Wisconsin counties since Nov. 2015 has infected 48 people, most elderly and all with an underlying health issue, resulting in 15 deaths, although it has not been determined if the cause is the bacterial infection, or the patients’ other serious health conditions, or both. According to Dr. Nasia Safdar, […]

Officials with Emory University Hospital in Atlanta report expecting a patient from West Africa with suspected Lassa fever this weekend. The patient’s diagnosis is not yet confirmed. Emory will work closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and with the Georgia Department of Public Health in diagnosing the patient. The patient, who due […]

Because local transmission of Zika virus has been reported on the Caribbean island of Aruba, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel notice today for travelers to the island. Local mosquito transmission means that mosquitoes in the area are infected with Zika virus and are spreading it to people. According to […]

Since the first Zika virus infection was confirmed on the Caribbean island of Martinique in Dec. 2105, health authorities put the clinical case count at 10,950, with the addition of some 1700 cases reported in week 9, 2016 (computer translated). In Martinique, laboratory confirmation for Zika virus is now reserved for pregnant women. Since the […]

Kansas state health officials received confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the first person in the state to test positive for Zika virus. The individual is an adult from southwest Kansas and has travel history to a country with local Zika virus transmission. The person subsequently developed an illness consistent […]

Officials with the Cambridge Public Health Department reported today additional mumps cases among Harvard University students at the Cambridge campus. The current total cases now stands at 11. Harvard University Health Services Director, Dr Paul J. Barreira wrote in a message to the Harvard community earlier this week: We all have a responsibility to help prevent the spread […]

Nestlé USA is initiating a voluntary recall of a limited number of DiGiorno®, Lean Cuisine®, and Stouffer’s® products due to the potential presence of glass pieces. This voluntary recall covers only specific production codes of the following products: DiGiorno Thin & Crispy Spinach and Garlic Pizza DiGiorno Rising Crust Spinach and Mushroom Pizza DiGiorno pizzeria […]

Hawaii health officials are reporting an additional dengue fever case on the Big Island, the first in two weeks and the 261st total. This new confirmed case helps to remind everyone that this outbreak remains active and is not anticipated to be considered over anytime in the near future. As there have been no confirmed […]

An outbreak of norovirus that began last Friday has sickened dozens at Lafayette College in Easton, PA, according to school officials. According to college President Alison Byerly, they received confirmation from the Pennsylvania Department of Health that the cause of the outbreak is norovirus. She also writes in a message to students and parents: Recognizing both the […]

Between 1 January 2007 and 9 March 2016, a total of 52 countries and territories have reported autochthonous (local) transmission or indication of transmission of Zika virus (41 since 1 January 2015). The Philippines is the latest to report autochthonous transmission of Zika virus. Five of these countries and territories reported a Zika virus outbreak […]

Taiwan health officials are reporting the first case of hantavirus hemorrhagic fever, or hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) of the year in a 76-year-old woman from Lingya District, Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan. According to the Taiwan CDC, on February 20, 2016, she sought medical attention and was hospitalized after developing symptoms such as fever, headache, nausea and […]

Two people have died from anthrax after consuming tainted meat in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region, according to local media. It was revealed that last week, some animals in Widnaba fell sick from the bacterial infection and were consumed by an some 30 people. Antibiotics were given for the people in the area. Health […]

Uruguay health officials are reporting an increase in the number of dengue fever cases since the first autochthonous, or locally acquired case was reported last month. Since then, 570 suspected cases and 17 confirmed have been reported in the country, with six out of 10 cases reported from the capital city of Montevideo. All confirmed cases were […]

Qatari health officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of an additional Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) case and death in a citizen. A 66-year-old, male, Qatari national developed symptoms on 18 February while in Saudi Arabia, where he had stayed for approximately 2 months. On 19 February, the patient sought health care in […]

A individual who was referred to the University Hospital of Cologne for malaria treatment has died from suspected Lassa fever, according to German media (computer translated). The patient was apparently in West Africa, admitted to the Cologne hospital for malaria, later died and on Wednesday the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine’s postmortem examination revealed the suspected […]

The Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province has reported an additional human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) in a 37-year-old man who lives in Jieyang. H7N9 avian influenza viruses can cause severe infections in humans. Due to the seasonal pattern, risk assessment shows that the activity of avian influenza viruses is expected to remain at […]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is collaborating with public health officials in multiple states and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo infections. Eleven people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Montevideo have been reported from 9 states–Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, […]

The South Pacific islands of New Caledonia has been added to the list of destinations in which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued travel notices due to ongoing Zika transmission. New Caledonia joins American Samoa, Marshall Islands, Samoa and Tonga in the Pacific. Travelers to areas where cases of Zika virus infection have been recently […]

In a follow-up to a report last week about a large outbreak of Elizabethkingia anophelis in southeastern and southern Wisconsin, The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has reported an additional four cases of the bloodstream infection, bringing the outbreak total to 48. While 18 patients who tested positive for the Elizabethkingia infection in this outbreak have died, it […]

The Florida Department of Health officials have reported a sexually-transmitted Zika virus infection in Polk County, the first in the state. Health officials write–one was sexually transmitted from an individual who was traveling outside of the country. A second case, also in Polk County, is considered travel associated. No other details were available. These are […]

The Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer (1975-2012) shows that death rates continued to decline for all cancers combined, as well as for most cancer sites for men and women of all major racial and ethnic populations. The overall cancer death rates for both sexes combined decreased by 1.5 percent per year […]

The second meeting of the Emergency Committee (EC) convened by the Director-General under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR 2005) regarding clusters of microcephaly cases and other neurological disorders in some areas affected by Zika virus was held by teleconference on 8 March 2016, from 13:00 to 16:45 Central European Time. The WHO Secretariat briefed […]

Australian health officials are investigating four people infected with Legionnaires’ disease who all spent time in Sydney’s Central Business District (CBD). City of Sydney and public health units have commenced inspections of cooling towers in the CBD, starting in the Town Hall area, as outbreaks can be associated with contaminated air conditioning systems in large buildings. […]

And the hits keep coming for the Denver-based restaurant chain as a eastern Massachusetts Chipotles temporarily closed after several employees reported not feeling well and one was confirmed positive for norovirus. The Chipotle in Billerica voluntarily closed earlier in the day after four employees called out sick. One of those employees tested positive for norovirus, two […]

Following reports of the first case of mumps in a UMass Boston (UMB) last week, school officials announced Tuesday a second confirmed case of the contagious viral disease. The first on campus case occurred on February 20, 2016 during the UMB Men’s hockey team match against Southern Maine University (SMU), according to a University Health Services […]

Health officials in Gallatin County, Montana are reporting on four mumps cases among students in Belgrade schools. All of the confirmed cases attend Belgrade High School or Belgrade Middle School. Mumps is a viral disease characterized by swelling of the parotid or salivary glands along the face, neck and jaw. The swelling can last from two […]

A multidisciplinary group of experts convened by the Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO / WHO) is in El Salvador this week to exchange experiences and support national efforts to respond to the Zika virus outbreak in the country. Experts are meeting with officials from the Ministry of Health and sharing experiences […]

Sri Lanka health officials reported 10,788 suspected dengue cases during the first two months of 2016. According to the Epidemiology Unit,Ministry of Health, approximately 51.21 percent of these cases were reported from the Western Province and the highest number of cases were reported in the fourth week of 2016. According to the Epidemiology Unit, this alarming […]

Eli Lilly and Company announced Monday that JAMA Dermatology has published detailed results from three pivotal Phase 3 trials that evaluated the effect of ixekizumab on work productivity in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Specific results from the UNCOVER-1 study were also presented Monday during the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. In […]

A horse in Madison County, FL has been confirmed positive for rabies, according to an update from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC). The equine, the first that tested positive for the dangerous virus, is the first equine rabies case in Madison County and the first for Florida in 2016. The premise with one remaining exposed horse […]

In a follow-up to a report on a gastrointestinal outbreak in Dayton, OH, Dayton & Montgomery County health officials reported the findings of their investigation associated with eating at Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery in Dayton between the dates of February 22 through February 28. On Tuesday, health officials said they received a total of eighty (80) reports of […]

Lyme patients and advocates from across the U.S. will gather for a “We the People” rally at the U.S. Capitol on May 19. The next day, simultaneous solidarity rallies will be held at the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) headquarters in Arlington, VA, and at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters […]

Last year was intense for dengue fever in many areas of Asia with the Philippines reporting more than 200,000 cases, Thailand reporting some 140,000 and Malaysia seeing in excess of 120,000. In Malaysia in 2016 to date. health officials put the case count at 28,576 as of Mar. 7. This includes 62 dengue-related fatalities. More […]

It may be tempting to squeeze or pop a painful lump on your skin, but experts advise against it. The bump could be a boil – a pus-filled skin infection that occurs around a hair follicle or oil gland – or a stye if the lump is on your eyelid. According to dermatologists, squeezing a […]

Mumps: Background and Key Findings A vaccine is a medical product that stimulates a person’s immune system to protect against a specific disease. The FDA assures the safety and effectiveness of vaccines for use in the United States, and only approves vaccines that it has determined to be safe and effective. “Vaccines protect against serious […]

Hormonal imbalance can happen to any person, male or female, at any time. This is when hormones are either at a level that is higher or lower than normal, and this can wreak havoc to a person’s physique and psyche. The reasons why a person may experience imbalanced hormones can include menopause, stress, lifestyle, diet, […]

Egypt reported some 160 human cases of H5N1 avian influenza during 2014-2015, by far the most cases the country ever reported. On Monday, the FAO/EMPRES reported on the first case in 2016, according to an Avian Flu Diary report published today. Very little information is available other than the case was reported from Sohag, Akhmem District and […]

In a follow-up to a report in late February, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on some extra details Monday on the case in Argentina. On 29 February 2016, the National IHR Focal Point of Argentina notified PAHO/WHO of a potential first case of Zika virus infection. The patient is a woman from the province […]

On 24 November 2015, health authorities in French Polynesia reported unknown and unspecified causes of morbidity and mortality in the context of concomitant outbreaks of Zika and dengue (serotypes 1 and 3) viruses. This update provides additional information on the clinical findings as well as the epidemiological and laboratory investigations of these cases. Between October […]

The number of Zika virus cases in Puerto Rico since the first locally acquired case was reported in late Dec. 2015 is now at 157 as of Mar. 3, according to the Departamento de Salud de Puerto Rico. Of this total, 14 cases were in pregnant women, six patients required hospitalization and one Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) case has […]

Parents of Washington high schoolers may be surprised to hear about a new chickenpox (varicella) vaccine requirement in the coming school year. In the 2016-17 school year, all public and private high school students will be required to get two doses of the chickenpox vaccine before they enter school. Parents are encouraged to get their […]

Peruvian health officials reported Monday (computer translated) on the fourth imported case of Zika virus infection. The individual is a Peruvian citizen who visited the Amazonian localities of Colombia and Brazil, near the border, in the Loreto region and later moved to Lima. Health officials say this is an isolated case and there is no fear […]

With the addition of new confirmed, imported Zika virus cases in Miami-Dade County and Broward County, Florida health officials now put the case count at 50. Nearly half the cases have been reported in Miami-Dade (24), while Broward (7), Hillsborough (3) and Lee (3) follow. Four cases have been reported in pregnant women in undisclosed […]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) in their latest update on the Carnival Cruise lines Carnival Sunshine norovirus outbreak on Mar. 4 put the number of cases at 178 passengers and crew. This number may be adjusted in a future update and according to passengers on board the ship, the […]

It’s been confirmed that 37 sheep in Vellore, Tamil Nadu did die from anthrax infection prompting vaccination of animals in some eight villages in the district, according to Indian media. Between Thursday and Friday last week, 37 sheep died in Keezh Venkatapuram in Nemili block. Blood samples were drawn and sent for testing to the Central Research […]

It actually makes me itch just thinking about it; mites burrowing into the skin and laying eggs. And then to think the mites are also leaving fecal deposits in these burrows in the skin. These burrows are tiny threadlike projections, ranging from 2 mm-15 mm long that appear as thin gray, brown, or red lines […]

A recent study revealed that the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium are able to form biofilms in human infected skin tissues which protects the bacterium from antibiotic treatments. Study lead author and Professor and Department Chair at the Department of Biology and Environmental Science at the University of New Haven, Dr. Eva Sapi joined me Sunday to discuss the research. […]

Two weeks ago, health officials in Grenada reported on a chickenpox outbreak that affected 17 students at St. George’s Anglican Junior School. The school was closed for the week to monitor and treat affected students. Last week, the Ministry of Health screened over 400 students from the St. George’s Anglican School. The exercise saw a team of qualified […]

The National Health and Family Planning Commission and the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province have reported an additional two imported cases of Zika Virus infection today. This brings the total cases to 12. The cases involve a 47-year-old man and his 6-year-old daughter. They arrived at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport from Venezuela on […]