Outbreak News Today

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The managing administrator of the Kalonge health zone in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) confirmed nine people have contracted anthrax in the Kalonge group in Kalehe territory in South Kivu. It infections are linked to the consumption of guinea pig, according to a 7SUR7 report. Among these nine people affected, two […]The post Anthrax outbreak linked to consuming guinea pigs in South Kivu, DRC appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up on the Omicron variant BA.2 situation in Denmark, the Statens Serum Institut (SSI) reports the prevalence of the omicron variant BA.2 continues to increase in Denmark. It became dominant in week 2 and accounted for 69% in week 3. BA.2 is expected to account for up to 100% of infections in mid-February […]The post Denmark: Omicron BA.2 is expected to account for up to 100% of infections in mid-February 2022 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Japan Ministry of Health is reporting the cumulative COVID-19 case total for the country has surpassed the 3 million case mark. The total cases are now 3,025,620 after reporting nearly 100,000 on Thursday. This is an increase of 1 million cases in two weeks as Japan reached that number on January 20. The […]The post Japan COVID-19 cases top 3 million, 1 million cases reported in 2 weeks appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The New Zealand government announced today a plan for reopening it’s borders after about 2 years. The New Zealand border will reopen to vaccinated Kiwis and other current eligible travellers from Australia at 11.59pm on 27 February 2022, and to the same groups from the rest of the world only two weeks later on 13 March […]The post New Zealand to start phased in reopening of borders appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews A week after Denmark said they are no longer categorizing COVID-19 as a “socially critical disease”, The Swedish Public Health Agency said it had reassessed COVID-19 and it is dropping coronavirus-related restrictions. In a press conference, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said that due to a better understanding of the Omicron variant and good […]The post Sweden: ‘The pandemic isn’t over, but it is moving into a new phase’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews UK health officials are reporting a rise in cases of extremely antibiotic-resistant Shigella sonnei infections, mainly in gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM). There have been 47 cases in the 4-month period between 1 September 2021 and 10 January 2022. This compares to 16 cases in a 17-month period […]The post Drug resistant Shigella infections in MSM on the rise in the UK appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The New York City Health Department today announced increases in gonorrhea and syphilis among females in the city during the first half of 2021. The Health Department reported a 23% increase in gonorrhea cases and a 17% increase in cases of primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis (the stages when syphilis is most infectious) reported […]The post New York City reports increases in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in females appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In 2006, a team from Johns Hopkins University which included Tom Inglesby, Jennifer Nuzzo and the late, great smallpox eradicator and former dean of what is now the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, D.A. Henderson put out the masterful, Disease Mitigation Measures in the Control of Pandemic Influenza in response to the […]The post Lockdowns had no noticeable effect on COVID mortality: Johns Hopkins study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Rare chickenpox deaths in Karnataka Two children have died of chickenpox and three others are taking treatment for it at Nalwar Station Thanda in Kalaburagi district. Read more at New Indian Express Leprosy situation in India Leprosy, caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae, primarily affects the peripheral nervous system causing skin lesions, numbness, and […]The post India Newswire: Rare chickenpox deaths in Karnataka, Leprosy situation appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews New York City health officials announced Tuesday the availability of the oral antiviral treatment for symptomatic COVID-19, Paxlovid, to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in high-risk patients within 5 days of symptom onset. The drug can be prescribed through Alto Pharmacy, officials note. The availability of Paxlovid has improved in recent weeks and other outpatient therapeutics […]The post New York City announces the availability of Paxlovid COVID-19 oral treatment appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews A new study from MIT suggests that the dozens of mutations in the spike protein of the Omicron variant help it to evade all four of the classes of antibodies that can target the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19. This includes antibodies generated by vaccinated or previously infected people, as well as most of […]The post Omicron: MIT study shows that dozens of mutations help the virus’ spike protein evade antibodies appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Yesterday, the first case of the Ómicron sub-lineage BA.2 variant in Argentina was confirmed by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases ANLIS Malbrán. This is a 62-year-old patient, who lives in the city of Buenos Aires, who returned from Uruguay on January 12 and two days later began to present symptoms compatible with the […]The post Argentina reports 1st case of Omicron sub-lineage BA.2 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews According to the Republic of Serbia Ministry of Health, a total of 1,697,012 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were registered in the Republic of Serbia by 3 pm on February 1, 2022. Since the last report, samples of 39,473 people have been tested, of which 19,214 are positive. There are a total of 148 patients […]The post Serbia COVID-19 update: 19K additional cases reported appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews According to a KJRH in Oklahoma report, a 17-month-old toddler has contracted the potentially very serious raccoon roundworm, Baylisascaris procyonis. The parents, Colten and Alycia Barnes were dealing with the unknown since the Thanksgiving holiday when 17-month-old son Ryder demonstrated symptoms. After hearing things like “It’s just a virus” and seeing their son only […]The post Raccoon roundworm, Baylisascaris procyonis infects Oklahoma toddler appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews A 19-year-old pregnant woman from Shymkent, Kazakhstan was diagnosed with echinococcus, an extremely dangerous parasitic disease, according to a Otyrar report (computer translated). The woman, who was 37 weeks into her pregnancy, developed discomfort and a feeling of heaviness, which later developed into severe pain. Ultrasound revealed she had echinococcus, a parasitic disease. Two large […]The post Kazakhstan: Pregnant woman diagnosed with echinococcus, Has two cysts removed appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews South Africa health officials reported the first human rabies case of 2022. Rabies was confirmed in a four-year-old child from the Eastern Cape Province. The child was bitten on the lip on 1 December 2021 by a dog she was playing with. The incident took place near her home in Gqerberha. No rabies post-exposure […]The post South Africa reports first human rabies case of 2022 in Eastern Cape appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Department of Agriculture and Food Security of Gunung Kidul Regency, Yogyakarta Special Region, confirmed that 10 residents of Hargomulyo Village, Gedangsari District, were suspected of being exposed to anthrax after consuming dead and slaughtered beef. Head of the Animal Health Division of the Gunung Kidul Agriculture and Food Security Service, Retno Widyastuti in […]The post Indonesia: Suspected anthrax outbreak reported in Gedangsari District appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a second COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine has been known as the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine; the approved vaccine will be marketed as Spikevax for the prevention of COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older. “The FDA’s approval of Spikevax is a significant step in the fight […]The post Moderna COVID vaccine, Spikevax, receives full FDA approval appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Paraguay health officials remind the public and providers that timely detection of leprosy is key to proactive treatment. This comes as the “World Day for the Fight against Leprosy” is celebrated on the last Sunday of January of each year. Dr. Olga Aldama, dermatologist, director of the National Program for the Control of Leprosy said, […]The post Paraguay officials emphasize importance of early detection of leprosy appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Yesterday, January 30 was World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day is a day to promote awareness of and secure resources for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)–a diverse group of conditions that are widespread in the world’s poorest regions, where water safety, sanitation and access to health care are substandard. NTDs are a group of 20 preventable […]The post Nigeria says 14 of 20 NTDs are endemic in country appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews A team of professionals from the National Institute of Health Laboratories (Inlasa) and the National Center for Tropical Diseases (Cenetrop) arrived in the city of Villa Montes to assess the possible outbreak of leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease spread by the bite of a mosquito infected. The person in charge of the Health Unit of […]The post Bolivia: Possible outbreak of leishmaniasis investigated in Villa Montes appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In 2021, Malaysia reported a total of 26,365 cases of dengue. The number showed a decrease of 70.8% compared to the previous year which was 90,304 cases. Deaths due to dengue fever were also found to have decreased from 145 deaths in 2020 to 20 deaths in 2021. This is the lowest dengue cases […]The post Malaysia reports lowest dengue cases and deaths in a decade appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) along with other health partners report investigating a E. coli O157 outbreak affecting 14 people in Alberta and Saskatchewan provinces. Based on the investigation findings to date, the outbreak is linked to Hankook (Korean characters only) brand Original Kimchi. Many of the individuals who were sick reported […]The post Canada: E. coli O157 infections linked to kimchi reported in Alberta and Saskatchewan appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Swedish Public Health Agency assesses that the medical benefit for the individual child with a general vaccination against covid-19 for children aged 5–11 is currently small. Therefore, the authority for the spring term 2022 does not recommend a general vaccination of children under 12 years of age in Sweden. We will continue to follow […]The post Sweden health officials do not recommend COVID-19 general vaccination for children aged 5-11 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up on the Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported an additional 74 confirmed cases during the third week on the year. This brings the total year-to date to 170 confirmed Lassa cases through January 23. This compares to 40 confirmed cases during the first three […]The post Nigeria reports 74 additional confirmed Lassa fever cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Mississippi state health health officials have reported the first human West Nile virus (WNV) of 2022 in a individual from Hinds County. The Mississippi State Department of Health says peak WNV season is usually July through October, but mosquitoes can carry the virus all year long. West Nile virus is transmitted primarily through the […]The post Mississippi reports 1st human West Nile virus case in January appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The island country of Timor-Leste, located in Southeast Asia, has recorded a huge spike in dengue fever during the month of January 2022, according to data from the Ministry of Health. According to the latest update dated January 30, the country has recorded 1198 total dengue fever cases. This compares to 901 total cases […]The post Timor-Leste reports more dengue cases in January 2022 than all of 2021 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Statens Serum Institut (SSI) reported today on a case of influenza (an unspecified novel swine flu virus) in a citizen of Denmark with a virus variant that probably originates from pigs. The finding was made via the national influenza monitoring at the Statens Serum Institut (SSI). The sample was taken at the end […]The post Denmark reports ‘swine flu’ case in employee of pig slaughterhouse appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews On Wednesday, the Ingham County Health Department (ICHD) and Michigan State University (MSU) were informed of a case of meningococcal (bacterial) meningitis in a non-MSU student who interacted with some members of the Ingham and MSU community. The University of Michigan student attended an off-campus event on Saturday, Jan 22, which was hosted by […]The post Michigan: Meningococcal meningitis exposure reported, Potential close contacts should receive prophylaxis appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews On Friday, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned people to stop using the Empowered Diagnostics CovClear COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test and ImmunoPass COVID-19 Neutralizing Antibody Rapid Test. These tests were distributed with labeling indicating they are authorized by the FDA, but neither test has been authorized, cleared, or approved by the FDA […]The post FDA warning: Don’t use these COVID-19 Tests appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Nicaragua closed the year 2021 with the second highest number of malaria cases in the last two decades. According to the Epidemiological Bulletin 46, through the last week of November 2021, there were 21,030 cases in the country. This amount represents, without knowing December’s numbers, 33% less than the total of the previous year, […]The post Nicaragua reports the second highest number of malaria cases in the last 20 years in 2021 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Officials in General Santos City, Mindanao, in the southern Philippines confirmed on Thursday one positive case of African swine fever (ASF) in the village of Purok San Lorenzo. This is the first time ASF has been reported here in several years. City Veterinary Office (CVO) chief, Dr. Antonio Ephraim Marin said the Department of Agriculture […]The post African swine fever reported in General Santos City appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Most teens and young adults know it’s possible to catch or spread a sexually transmitted infection by having unprotected oral sex, a new poll shows. But more than half underestimate the level of that risk, including many who focus on avoiding pregnancy risk, the data show. Just over half (54%) of young people also feel […]The post Most teens and young adults underestimate sexually transmitted infection risk of oral sex, Better education needed appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe, a catch-up polio vaccination campaign for children aged 6 months to 6 years who missed routine polio doses in the past will begin in Ukraine on 1 February 2022. The first stage will last 3 weeks and is expected to reach nearly 140,000 […]The post Ukraine: Polio vaccination campaign to begin February 1 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews A Zika virus vaccine candidate is effective at preventing the Zika virus passing from mother to fetus in preclinical animal studies, according to a new study in the journal npj Vaccines. The research is a collaboration between Trudeau Institute, Texas Biomedical Research Institute’s Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC), and Walter Reed Army Institute of Research […]The post Zika virus vaccine candidate shows promising results in preclinical studies appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Officials in New York City report investigating multiple dog deaths possibly linked to leptospirosis, which is linked to rats, in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn. According to a Facebook post by Council Member Lincoln Restler: We have received reports of multiple dog fatalities in Williamsburg. The reports to our office indicate that dogs played at […]The post New York City: Possible leptospirosis among dogs in Williamsburg appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health reports closely monitoring two human cases of avian influenza A(H5N6) in the Mainland. The first case involves a 68-year-old man living in Langzhong in Sichuan. He developed symptoms on January 3, and was admitted for treatment on January 4. The patient is […]The post China reports two additional H5N6 avian influenza cases in 2022 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In Yucatan, during 2021, the lowest incidence of chickenpox was recorded in a decade (2012), due to the hygiene measures established to cut the transmission chain of COVID-19, according to the federal Ministry of Health. In addition, in Mexico as a whole, it is one of the few pathologies that for the second year […]The post Mexico reports 59% decrease in chickenpox in 2021 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Secretary of State for Public Health (SESPA) in Pará state, Brazil, is reporting eight confirmed Mayaro virus cases last year. In Pará, the period of greatest transmission of these diseases occurs during the winter. Mayaro virus is transmitted by mosquitoes, through the bites of Haemagogus janthinomys, which also transmits yellow fever. Of the […]The post Brazil: 8 Mayaro virus cases reported in Pará in 2021 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews On January 24, 2022, the WHO Regional Reference Laboratory in Helsinki confirmed poliovirus type 2 (VDPV-2) in a sample from a 2-year-old child from Ukraine. The sample from the patient is similar to those that were already identified during the fall in Rivne region. A boy living with his family in Transcarpathia fell ill with […]The post Ukraine: Polio case reported in Transcarpathia child appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Manuela Cabello, director of the Oscar Orías Hospital, confirmed the first six cases of dengue in the summer season. They were detected in the area of ​​Libertador General San Martín. “Six positive cases of dengue were detected out of a total of 119 suspected cases,” said Manuela Cabello when asked by Channel 7 of Jujuy, […]The post Argentina: First dengue cases reported in Jujuy appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The drugs behind the new pills to treat COVID-19 remain very effective against the omicron variant of the virus in lab tests, according to a new study. However, lab tests also showed that the available antibody therapies — typically given intravenously in hospitals — are substantially less effective against omicron than against earlier variants […]The post Anti-COVID pills work well against omicron, but antibody drugs are less effective: Lab studies appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up on the Lassa fever situation in Nigeria in January 2022, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has activated the national multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary Lassa fever Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in response to the Lassa fever outbreak in some parts of the country. This became necessary given the increase in the […]The post Nigeria: Lassa fever outbreaks prompt NCDC action appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The World Health Organization (WHO) reported in a Disease Outbreak News report Tuesday that Benin reported its first epidemic wave of cholera between March and April, in the commune of So-Ava, Atlantique Department, with 103 cases including three laboratory-confirmed cases and no deaths. A second epidemic wave began in September 2021, with 1430 cases […]The post Benin cholera outbreak: 1430 cases reported in second wave appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Just 14* human cases of Guinea worm disease occurred worldwide in 2021, drawing nearer to the goal of global eradication, The Carter Center announced Wednesday. It is the lowest annual case total ever recorded, and the cases occurred in just four countries. When The Carter Center assumed leadership of the global Guinea Worm Eradication […]The post Guinea worm disease 2021: ‘Eradication is an approaching reality’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Officials in Shivamogga, Karnataka state have reported a case of the tick-borne, Kyasanur Forest Disease, (KFD) in a 57-year-old woman in Kudige village of Thirthahalli. This is the first case in the area in two years. Shivamogga district health officer Dr Rajesh S uragihalli said, “The woman’s symptoms are mild. There is no cause […]The post India: Kyasanur Forest Disease case reported in Shivamogga, Karnataka state appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews So far, three subvariants of Omicron have been described: BA.1, BA.2 and BA.3. Worldwide, BA.1 account for most of Omicron-cases. However, in Denmark BA.2 is gaining ground, the Staten Serum Institut (SSI) reported. The subvariant BA.2 accounted for 20% of all covid-19-cases in Denmark in week 52 increasing to approximately 45% in week 2. […]The post Denmark: Omicron sub-variant BA.2 accounts for half of Danish cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Despite South Africa entering its peak malaria season, many malaria cases are being misdiagnosed as COVID-19. Both malaria and COVID-19 have similar non-specific early symptoms including fever, chills, headaches, fatigue and muscle pain. Undiagnosed and untreated malaria rapidly progresses to severe illness, with a potentially fatal outcome. Any individual presenting with fever or ‘flu-like […]The post South Africa issues malaria alert appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up to the number of H9N2 avian influenza cases reported in China in 2021, Hong Kong health officials reported an additional case this past week in a 5-year-old boy from Anhui Province. The patient had onset of disease on November 13, 2021. To date, 24 cases of avian influenza A(H9N2) have been […]The post China reports additional H9N2 avian influenza case for 2021 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.