Outbreak News Today

Oklahoma stat health officials have put the human West Nile virus (WNV) case count to six after Oklahoma County reported their 2nd case late last week. The first cases for 2015 have been confirmed in Custer, Ellis, Okfuskee, Oklahoma and McIntosh county residents. There have been no deaths. Persons are at greatest risk of exposure […]

Health officials in Brazil are giving the public just one more reason to avoid mosquito bites and eliminate breeding sites–the risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). The Superintendent of Epidemiological Surveillance (SES) says that since the beginning of the year, 10 cases of GBS have been reported in the state of Maranhão. in northeastern Brazil, according to a Jornal Meionorte […]

With a global tally of just 33 cases from two countries during the first six months of 2015, health officials are reporting the lowest number of cases ever during this time frame. During the same period last year, 122 cases in 9 countries were seen. With two additional wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases reported in the past […]

Bulgarian health officials have have instituted an epidemiological investigation in the seaside city of Varna after a man contracted and died from anthrax. According to authorities from the health ministry (computer translated), the 53-year-old from the village of Mlada Gvardiya, municipality of Vetrino, in Varna district apparently cut his hand during the slaughter of an […]

Planned Parenthood rolled out a new app in California last week, which allows people 17 years old and up to order and discreetly receive home collection kit for two common sexually transmitted infections, chlamydia and gonorrhea, and later receive the results. Using the free app, an individual can order the $149 discreetly packaged Planned Parenthood Direct STD […]

Another nurse has died of Ebola. Did you know the outbreak was still active in Sierra Leone? The International Medical Corps (IMC) has acknowledge the death of one of its nurses in the West African nation. It is a tragedy, but this what I expected. I was in Liberia, West Africa as an Ebola nurse […]

The floating medical center, the USNS Mercy, with it’s crew of some 900, arrived in Roxas City, Philippines to begin their mission for Pacific Partnership 2015 (PP-15). According to the US Pacific Command (PACOM), medical staff aboard Mercy will perform surgical procedures and will host community health engagements, and also provide direct care in seven locations throughout […]

Louisiana health officials have reported the first human West Nile virus (WNV) cases of 2015 in Region 2 and Region 6. Two of the cases were neuroinvasive WNV, the more serious variety of the disease. “There is an opportunity for you to get bitten every time you step outside, whether you’re taking a quick walk to […]

Ohio schoolchildren will have to be vaccinated against meningococcal meningitis after Governor John Kasich signed into law Senate Bill 121 Thursday. The bill and now law was introduced by State Senator Cliff Hite (R-Findlay). Sponsored by Senator Hite, Senate Bill 121 works in conjunction with the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Immunization Advocacy […]

The Chief Public Health Office continues to see increased cases of infectious syphilis throughout Prince Edward Island, says Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison. Since January 2014, Prince Edward Island has been notified of 15 lab confirmed cases of infectious syphilis. The number has been increasing steadily since 2010. In comparison, from 1987-2009 there […]

The Multnomah County Health Department is investigating a laboratory-confirmed cluster of Salmonella infections linked to a conference in Portland from June 23 to 26, 2015. Health officials have tallied 53 people who became ill, including nine laboratory-confirmed cases. They were participants attending an Open Source Bridge Conference at the Eliot Center in downtown Portland. The Health Department is […]

The first human case of West Nile Virus in Waterloo Region in 2015 has been identified. The case is a female adult from Cambridge who is recovering. The first case is confirmation that West Nile Virus activity has begun in the Region and reinforces the need to take precautions. West Nile virus is usually spread […]

Officials with the Maricopa County Department of Public Health announced yesterday two deaths related to the mosquito borne virus, West Nile virus (WNV). Both of the victims were residents of East Valley who has underlying medical conditions. “Sadly, we are reporting two East Valley residents who died from West Nile virus; however, we know that this disease […]

The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) issued a tularemia warning today after recent human and animal cases reported in northern Wyoming. “Recently, we are hearing about rabbit die-offs and have seen tularemia cases confirmed in two Weston County residents, in dead voles near Devils Tower in Crook County and in a Washakie County cat,” said Dr. […]

Aspen Foods, A Division of Koch Poultry Company, a Chicago, Ill. establishment, is recalling approximately 1,978,680 pounds of frozen, raw, stuffed and breaded chicken product that may be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The frozen, raw, stuffed and breaded chicken items were produced between […]

State health officials are urging all men who have sex with men (MSM) to be vaccinated for meningococcal meningitis as soon as possible. The public health alert comes in response to the recent death of a Ramsey County man, known to have sex with men, who became infected with the disease. Given an ongoing outbreak […]

Two additional fatalities due to Vibrio vulnificus infection has been reported by state health officials bringing the total to nine, more than all the deaths reported in 2014 (7). The latest deaths were reported from Brevard and Citrus Counties. The state’s case tally has risen by three to 17, with the county breakdown as follows: […]

The American Samoa health department has declared that the number of dengue fever infections has reached a level where it is considered to be a epidemic. In an interview with Radio New Zealand, epidemiologist Scott Anesi says the numbers have not reached the threshold for World Health Organisation and Centers for Disease Control standards to be declared […]

More than 100 tourists have contracted norovirus after eating at a Green Island seafood restaurant off the coast of Taitung, Taiwan. According to Taiwanese health officials, the common link is tainted raw oysters from South Korea. According to the epidemiological investigation, 120 people had eaten raw oysters at the seafood restaurant. 102 tourists in six tour groups […]

In malaria-endemic regions, humans are often infected repeatedly with the Plasmodium parasite, and the consequences of such multiple infections are under intense study. In contrast, little is known about possible co-infection and its consequences in the Anopheles mosquitoes that transmit the disease. A study published on July 16th in PLOS Pathogens reports that not only can individual mosquitoes […]

After not hearing any news in about a month, Chinese health officials are reporting four additional human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9). According to the National Health and Family Planning Commission, the patients were four men, aged from 58 to 77 and with onset of symptoms between May 27 and June 18. Two cases are from Anhui, one […]

Following a study last October that put the dengue burden in India to be about 6 million cases annually, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reveals that the people in southern India have a much higher exposure to the mosquito borne viruses, dengue and chikungunya, than previously suspected. The researchers, reporting July […]

The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (July 16) investigating a suspected local case of dengue fever (DF), and hence again urged the public to maintain strict environmental hygiene, mosquito control and personal protective measures both locally and during travel. “The patient had no recent travel […]

The first human infections of West Nile Virus (WNV) have been confirmed in two residents of Butte County after a routine blood donation. These are the first human infections of WNV reported this year. Blood donation centers routinely check for viruses in the blood as a precautionary measure and do not retain any infected blood. […]

A mysterious outbreak of child paralysis cases previously linked to enterovirus D68 may instead have another cause, doctors at the University of Virginia Children’s Hospital are cautioning after determining that a stricken child appeared to be suffering from a different virus. A small girl’s scary symptoms A 6-year-old girl arrived at UVA Children’s Hospital in […]

Sri Lankan health officials report today that more than 17,000 dengue fever cases in the island country from Jan. 1 to Jul. 16. Colombo and Gampaha districts saw the most cases with 5,017 and 2,307, respectively. 46,584 cases were reported during the whole of 2014. In June, a Special Program for Dengue prevention was planned in Western Province and […]

The number of cyclosporiasis cases in Texas increased by another six today, bringing the total to 170, according to state health officials. Travis County has reported 74 cases, or 43 percent of the state’s total. Dallas County is the only other county to report cases in the double digits (14). LISTEN:Iowa Cyclospora outbreak: A few […]

Recent years have seen an unprecedented growth in number and availability of new synthetic psychoactive drugs in the US and worldwide. In 2014, 101 new psychoactive drugs were identified, worldwide. Such drugs are often sold as “legal” highs or “research chemicals” over the internet or in head shops. Among these new drugs, “bath salts” appear […]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today authorized use of the first prosthesis marketed in the U.S. for adults who have amputations above the knee and who have rehabilitation problems with, or cannot use, a conventional socket prosthesis. The Osseoanchored Prostheses for the Rehabilitation of Amputees (OPRA) device instead uses fixtures and screws implanted into […]

There are numerous new stories and follow-ups to several infectious disease outbreaks on the continent of Africa and we’ll take a look at them right here. South Sudan cholera outbreak In a follow-up to a report last week, The Central Equatoria State Ministry of Health in South Sudan report the cholera outbreak continues to grow. They […]

For the second time in two weeks, Polk County health officials have confirmed the mosquito borne virus, Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in a mammal. Health officials say the both cases have been in horses. This is the 13th mammal to be reported with EEE statewide. EEE is a rare illness in humans, and only a few […]

Heavy rains followed by the current hot weather has caused the local mosquito population to flourish and the Saint Louis County Department of Public Health is urging all residents to take precautions to help combat mosquitoes and prevent mosquito bites. “Although serious cases of local mosquito-borne illnesses in humans are rare, it is still important […]

In a follow-up to the salmonella outbreak in Minnesota and Wisconsin and the massive recall by Barber Foods, Omaha Steaks announced Monday the recall of stuffed chicken breast products manufactured by Barber Foods, an AdvancePierre Foods company, packed on five dates in 2015 for potential Salmonella contamination. A small amount of the product was sold […]

With the reports of an additional three cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1), this brings the total cases to eight in 2015 in Madagascar. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) says the most recent case had onset of paralysis on 29 May in Boeni region. These cases are genetically linked to a case reported in […]

Measles was a huge public health issue for the Philippines in 2014 when the country reported more than 58,000 cases and 110 deaths. In addition, travelers from the Philippines were linked to measles outbreaks in a number of other countries, including the United States and Canada. During the first five months last year, the archipelago […]

Dominica has been certified free of measles and mumps by the World Health Organisation. The Hon. Health Minister was presented with the award by Regional Director of the World Health Organisation, Dr. Carissa Etienne on Tuesday July 7th. She said to the nation’s Hon. Health Minister, “This is as a result of very strong immunization […]

The number of leprosy cases reported in Florida in 2015 from January to early July has equaled the total cases seen during the entire 2014, according to Florida health data. The 10th case of the year has been reported in a resident of North Fort Myers in Lee County. 10 cases were reported all of […]

Liberia was declared Ebola free on May 9 after not reporting any additional cases for the WHO mandated 42 day period. The toll on Liberia from Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) included 10,666 cases and 4,806 deaths (45% case fatality). The World Health Organization said: Although transmission of the virus had ceased, Liberia remained at high risk […]

Three people, ages 16 through 26, from a poor mountainous village in the central province of Quang Nam have died and health officials have identified diphtheria as the cause, according to Vietnamese media. A number of other villagers were stricken with the same symptoms in May resulting in the death of three others. Testing was not […]

The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed two imported measles infections in travelers to China, prompting a warning to the public. Health officials say two women, ages 35 and 29, were confirmed for measles infection and are currently hospitalized. According to the epidemiological investigation, both cases have visited Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Shanghai, China together […]

Taiwan health officials have confirmed a botulism case in a man from Lianjiang County and are currently investigating the source of the intoxication. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the case is a 57-year-old male who resides in Lianjiang County. On July 4, 2015, he developed difficulty in swallowing. On the following day, when his […]

A new process patent for adding biodegradable silver nanoparticles to the naturally occurring plant protein lignin has been described in a recent Nature Nanotechnology paper out of NC State University, exciting researchers who see antimicrobial potential for this technology in everything from preventing food poisoning to coating medical devices. The technique involves the lignin polymer […]

Vietnamese health officials in the Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau are reporting the case of a 10-year-old boy who has been hospitalized with an infection with the rat lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis. He is currently recovering from the infection at a Ho Chi Minh City hospital neurology and infectious disease ward. The boy’s mother said she was unaware […]

The North Dakota Department of Health has confirmed the first human case of West Nile virus (WNV) disease in 2015 in North Dakota. Additionally, two mosquito pools from Grand Forks County have tested positive for WNV. To help avoid contracting the virus, state and local health officials urge people to protect themselves from mosquito bites. […]

Between 11 and 14 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of 1 additional death related to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) but no new cases of infection. Additional information on the outbreak in the Republic of Korea To date, a total of 186 MERS-CoV cases, including […]

When U.S. adults are hospitalized with pneumonia, viruses are more often to blame than bacteria. However, despite current diagnostic tests, neither viruses nor bacteria are detected in the majority of these patients according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released today in the New England Journal of Medicine. This […]

Has your child broken out in an itchy rash? If so, it could be a case of hives. Fortunately, hives are usually harmless and temporary. Common symptoms of hives include slightly raised, pink or red areas on the skin; welts that occur alone, in a group, or connect over a large area; and skin swelling […]

In our world today, but especially in healthcare, there are few if any, tenets as impervious to overstatement as the importance of cleanliness. A facility might appear to be ‘clean’ and not be safe and disinfected. However, IF the facility is safe and disinfected, it is clean, too. Improving sanitation (safe, clean and disinfected) and […]

Officials in Mumbai, India have reported 54 leptospirosis cases in July and 59 cases since the beginning of the year. Approximately a third of the patients diagnosed during the past two weeks have succumbed to the bacterial disease. Health officials say the high fatality rate is likely due to a delay in treatment with a […]

Minister for Health Sussan Ley urged people last week to get their flu shots in response to new statistics that show the number of flu cases in Australia are up by over 50 per cent in 2015 as compared to the same time last year. Ms Ley said 14,124 flu cases had been reported so […]