Outbreak News Today

After not reporting any new dengue fever cases since the weekend, the Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) revealed five additional cases of the mosquito borne viral illness Wednesday, bringing the outbreak total to 207. Of the confirmed cases, 187 are Hawaii Island residents and 20 are visitors. Of the confirmed cases, six individuals are currently listed […]

Bay Area Lyme Foundation, a leading nonprofit funder of innovative Lyme disease research in the US, last month released its roster of 2015 research grant recipients. Collectively these researchers received $1.5 million from the Foundation for research related to Lyme disease, a growing epidemic with more than 329,000 reported new cases each year according to the […]

The Departmental Health Service of Santa Cruz in Bolivia reported the first case of Zika infection in the country, according to an El Dia report (computer translated). Health officials note that the case is considered imported and the patient contracted the virus while in Matto Grosso State, Brazil. The woman of 58 years who spent several days […]

In a follow-up to a report last week, the final tally is in on the number of fireworks injuries and Philippines health officials put it at 929, including 33 amputations. This is a slight increase compared to 2014; however, as Health Secretary Janette Garin said at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, 2015-2016 figures were 41 cases less […]

The Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province announced an additional human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) in mainland China. The patient, a 58-year-old woman from Jieyang, is hospitalized in critical condition. From 2013 to date, 667 human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) have been reported nationally and the 184th case in Guangdong Province. This is the 10th […]

The Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said Tuesday that a dead great egret found in Diamond Hill, Wong Tai Sin, was confirmed to be H5N6 positive after laboratory testing. The dead bird was found and collected from a non-public area near Spring Hill in the Nan Lian Garden, Diamond Hill, Wong Tai […]

Huisken Meat Company, a Sauk Rapids, Minn. establishment, is recalling approximately 89,568 pounds of beef products that may be contaminated with extraneous wood materials, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced this week. The Sam’s Choice Black Angus Vidalia Onion items were produced on various dates between Nov. 19, 2015, and […]

Rabies, the almost universally fatal infection if not appropriately treated in a timely fashion, was responsible for 226 deaths in the Philippines in 2015, according to the Department of Health. This has prompted health officials to announce yesterday that free rabies vaccines will be available at 480 Animal Bite Treatment Centers nationwide. “None of these deaths […]

The Philippines government made an important announcement this week concerning the prevention of a major infectious disease that is a big problem on the archipelago. With the announcement two weeks ago of the new dengue fever vaccine, Dengvaxia, by the FDA, government officials say susceptible poor children in regions with high incidence of dengue will be the […]

Amazonas, a state in northwestern Brazil, recorded their first suspected case of microcephaly since the country surge began, making it the 21st state to record a case, according to a health ministry press release today (computer translated). Across the country the total of suspected cases jumped to 3,174 cases, up about 200 from last week. In […]

In late December, nearly two years after the epidemic began, the World Health Organization has declared the African country of Guinea to be free of Ebola virus infections. But, the race to find a cure and therapies to combat the disease are forging ahead as officials warn that inattention could lead to another epidemic. Texas […]

Dated 12/31/15 The U.S. Embassy in Brasilia, Brazil informs U.S. citizens of a public health concern regarding the mosquito-transmitted Zika virus. As dengue and chikungunya, the main transmitter of the Zika virus is the Aedes egypti, an urban mosquito that prefers to breed in and around homes. Large urban centers with surrounding poorer slums are […]

Although reports of this case came out late last week from the Jiangxi Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission (computer translated), The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) reported the case today on their website. According to the Health and Family Planning Commission of Jiangxi Province, the patient is a […]

Minor variants of flu strains, which are not typically targeted in vaccines, carry a bigger viral punch than previously realized, a team of scientists has found. Its research, which examined samples from the 2009 flu pandemic in Hong Kong, shows that these minor strains are transmitted along with the major strains and can replicate and […]

Big Dog Natural of Brick, NJ is voluntary recalling a select production lot of Big Dog Natural raw dehydrated dog food Chicken Supreme potentially contaminated with Salmonella and Fish Supreme potentially contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes that was shipped in the week of 10/31/2015 to 11/13/2015 to online customers. Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes can affect animals eating […]

Just a week after two Lassa fever deaths were reported from Kano State in north-western Nigeria, officials in the eastern Nigerian state of Taraba are reporting an outbreak of the zoonotic viral disease, according to a Nigerian media report. The report states: The Commissioner of Health, Innocent Vakkai, who confirmed the outbreak said, “One person died […]

Recent research has revealed the worldwide spread of a very serious antibiotic resistance to a “last line” drug, colistin, which is linked to use in agriculture. Infectious disease specialist and Forbes contributor, Dr. Judy Stone joined me on the Outbreak News This Week Radio Show on Sunday to discuss the issue, which she wrote about in a […]

Between 30 December 2015 and 2 January 2016, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China notified WHO of 2 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N6) virus. Details of the cases The first case is a 26-year-old female from Baoan District, Shenzhen City, with onset date of 24 December. […]

The last time the sultanate of Oman reported a case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus, or MERS-CoV, it was late May. 2015. Today, the Ministry of Health announced the confirmation of a new MERS case, the 7th reported in the country, according to a health ministry press release (computer translated). The current patient, an […]

In late December 2015, new cases of Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD), or monkey fever, occurred in the Mauxi region of the Thane village panchayat in southwestern India, according to the Indian newspaper The Navhind Times. So far 2 people have been confirmed to have the tick-borne viral disease in the Mauxi village and have been […]

The number of confirmed and suspected cases of Zika infection in Colombia has eclipsed 10,000 cases, according to data from the Instituto Nacional de Salud, Colombia. Through Dec. 26, health officials have reported 9280 suspected and 736 laboratory confirmed Zika virus cases for a total of 10,016. Cases have been confirmed in 162 municipalities of the country, of which […]

Du Monde Gourmet, a Park City, UT establishment, is recalling approximately 235 pounds of ready-to-eat pocket sandwich products, which may have experienced temperature deviation and may contain Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus cereus, and/or Clostridium botulinum, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The Jafflz Retro Pocket Sandwiches were produced on […]

Health officials in Hong Kong saw a record number of Legionnaires’ disease cases in the city in 2015 as 66 cases were seen, significantly higher than the 41 cases reported in 2014 (the previous high). Since reporting of Legionnaires’ notifications were documented in 1997, 307 Legionnaires’ cases have been seen, including 2015. The first year Hong […]

The number of Vibrio vulnificus cases reported in Florida in 2015 is 45 confirmed, the highest number reported since 2003, according to the Florida Department of Health statistics. Last year, 45 cases of the bacterial infection were reported from 27 counties, with Hillsborough and Duval counties recording the most, five and four, respectively. In addition, […]

Between New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, Hawaii health officials recorded another dozen confirmed, autochthonous cases of the mosquito borne viral disease on Big Island. According to the Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH), as of Jan. 1, 2016, the county has seen 202 dengue fever cases, 182 in Hawaii residents. Currently, as many as 13 of […]

For the second time in less than a week, China health officials are reporting a confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H5N6). The patient, according to the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, is a 40-year-old woman in Zhaoqing. She is currently hospitalized for treatment and in a critical condition. On Dec. 29, provincial health officials reported […]

Singapore in 2015 experienced a milder dengue fever season compared to the record year of 2013 when 22,318 cases and 8 deaths were recorded and last year when 18,318 cases and 4 deaths were seen; however, health officials report seeing a surge in December coinciding with warmer weather associated with the El Niño phenomenon. Amy Khor, Senior Minister of […]

Thomas Produce Company of Boca Raton, FL is recalling 174 bulk-packed containers of Cucumbers. This product has the potential to 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 with Salmonella may experience fever, […]

The number of confirmed cases of Hansen’s disease, or leprosy in Florida increased from 10 in 2014 to 27 in 2015, according to Florida Department of Health data. Brevard County alone reported 11 confirmed leprosy cases, while 12 other counties saw 1 or 2 confirmed cases. Outbreak News Today reached out to the Brevard County […]

Health workers at the world’s largest refugee complex in Kenya are gaining the upper hand in battling a cholera outbreak that has killed 10 people and sickened around 1,000 others since it broke out last month amid rains linked to El Niño. Cholera, an often fatal water-borne bacterial illness, which causes fever, vomiting and watery […]

Hospitals in the Philippines were put on “Code White Alert” for New Year’s celebrations in preparation for the usual large number of fireworks injuries that occur each year. Today, The Department of Health said more Filipinos were spared of firework-related injuries as the country welcomed the New Year with fewer firecrackers in families’ homes, and the […]

While the goal of polio virus eradication is in sight, there are concerns about post-eradication manufacturing and stockpiling vaccine stores containing live virus that could escape and repopulate the environment. A study published on December 31st in PLOS Pathogens reports the generation of new vaccine strains that appear both effective and unable to cause disease […]

Taiwan’s biggest dengue fever outbreak ended the year at more than 43,000 cases, nearly triple last year’s total of 15,732 cases. The good news is the outbreak has slowed dramatically with only 51 cases reported on Thursday, primarily in Kaohsiung City. In Kaohsiung City, health officials say dengue activity has decreased fro five consecutive weeks. Kaohsiung […]

According to the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning, a 59-year-old man is the latest human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) in the Mainland, bringing the total to 665 cases since 2013. The patient was confirmed positive on Jan. 1 and is currently under treatment. This follows a H7N9 avian influenza case that was […]

The number of dengue fever cases reported in Malaysia continues to increase year after year since 2011 and in 2015, we see the highest number of cases and deaths as the southeast Asian country topped 120,000 cases. More than half the cases were reported from Selangor state alone (62,000+). In addition, 322 dengue related fatalities […]

Puerto Rico has become the 14th country/territory in the Americas to report a locally acquired case of Zika virus infection, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Local transmission means that mosquitoes in Puerto Rico have been infected with Zika virus, spreading it to humans. The Puerto Rico Department of Health reported Thursday of the confirmed case in […]

In an update on the measles epidemic in Katanga in the southeast of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the number of cases have nearly doubled in the past three months, according to data from the Ministry of Public Health. In early September, we reported here some 20,000 measles cases in the outbreak. By the end of November the […]

About two months after the first 2 autochthonous cases of Zika virus infection were confirmed in the South American country of Suriname, one expert estimates that the disease burden may be quite high. According to a report in Loop Suriname this week, the head of the Academisch Ziekenhuis Paramaribo (AZP) lab, where the first cases […]

After a couple days lull in reported dengue fever infection reported on Big Island, the Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) reported eight additional cases on Wednesday, bringing the outbreak total to 190. The vast majority of cases have been reported in Hawaii residents with about one out of 10 being seen in visitors to the […]

With the confirmation of autochthonous and imported Zika virus infection in French Guiana, the number of countries globally with evidence, past or current, of Zika virus transmission has grown to 33 from Africa, Asia, the Americas and the Pacific Islands. Beside the 13 countries/territories reporting Zika transmission since 2014 in the Western hemisphere, the following countries have reported Zika […]

Researchers at SUNY Downstate Medical Center have identified and mapped areas of high probability of plague bacteria in the western United States. Their findings were published in a recent edition of the journal, PeerJ. This investigation predicted animal plague occurrence across western states based on reported occurrences of plague in sylvan (wild) and domestic animal […]

In a follow-up to reports on the H1N1 influenza outbreak in Iran, new reports say that the number of “swine flu” related fatalities in the country has nearly doubled since mid-December to 112 deaths, up from 57. Most of the deaths were recorded in southeastern Iran. “About 1,190 people have been diagnosed with the (H1N1) virus […]

Brazilian health authorities released the latest numbers concerning the massive increase of microcephaly cases in the country and it reveals the number suspected cases of the disease is now at 2,975 under investigation, according to a press release Tuesday (computer translated). The reporting of the medical condition, possibly linked to Zika virus, has spread to 656 municipalities in 20 […]

Nearly 1 million incidences of herpes zoster, which is also known as shingles, occur every year in the U.S., with an estimated one-third of all adults affected by age 80. Despite its prevalence, particularly between ages 50 and 59, it is still unclear why some individuals will develop shingles, and others will not. In a […]

Zika virus has arrived in the Americas with a force in 2015 as 13 countries or territories have now seen autochthonous transmission and in Brazil alone, an estimated 1,000,000+ cases reported there. Zika has definitely grabbed the attention of not only people who follow infectious disease news like myself, but I see mainstream media now giving […]

The Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province has reported a human case of avian influenza A(H5N6) in a 26-year-old woman in Shenzhen today. The patient lives in Bao’an, Shenzhen. She is currently hospitalized for treatment and in a critical condition. China has previously reported four human case of this strain of bird flu with two cases reported […]

Today the World Health Organization (WHO) declares the end of Ebola virus transmission in the Republic of Guinea. Forty-two days have passed since the last person confirmed to have Ebola virus disease tested negative for the second time. Guinea now enters a 90-day period of heightened surveillance to ensure that any new cases are identified […]

Uoriki Fresh, Inc. (UF) of Secaucus, NJ is recalling its “Octopus Salad”, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes (LA1) , 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 […]

Following reports of an imported Zika virus case from Suriname last week, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reports in their latest epidemiologic map that French Guiana is the 12th country to report autochthonous, or locally acquired Zika virus infection. Including Easter Island last year, this is the 13th country to report the mosquito borne viral disease. […]

Brazil accounts for more than 70 percent of all the dengue fever cases reported in the Western hemisphere with 1.5 million of the 2.1 million total in 2015. In addition, Brazil has reported in excess of 800 dengue related fatalities and all four dengue virus serotypes are present. Following in the footsteps of other dengue-stricken countries […]