Outbreak News Today

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Costa Rica Health Surveillance Directorate is reporting a significant decline in diarrhea cases, which they say is due to the health measures implemented to prevent COVID-19. As of the week ending April 24, the country has a total of 45,676 cases of diarrhea, while at the same date last year there were […]The post Costa Rica reports drop in diarrhea cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reports the multi-county E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that has affected 11 people is likely linked to PCC Community Market brand yogurt produced by Pure Eire Dairy. The outbreak includes six children under the age of 10, seven people that have been hospitalized and three people who have […]The post Washington E. coli outbreak linked to yogurt appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The most populous boroughs in New York City, Queens and Brooklyn, likely served as the major hub of COVID-19 spread in the spring of 2020, a new study finds. Led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the new investigation analyzed over 800 coronavirus genetic samples to trace the path of the virus as […]The post New York City: Queens and Brooklyn likely served as the major hub of COVID-19 spread in the spring of 2020 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) today reported on a Salmonella Braenderup ST22 cluster in Denmark that has affected 27 people from late March to Late April. The cases are geographically spread and have not travelled outside of the country. ECDC says by 20 May 2021, isolates clustering within 0-6 allelic […]The post European officials report on Salmonella Braenderup outbreak appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Scientists from Hokkaido University have shown that an antigen-based test for quantifying SARS-CoV-2 in saliva samples is simple, rapid, and more conducive for mass-screening. More than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the RT-PCR test remains the gold standard for detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This method requires trained personnel at every step, from collection […]The post A rapid antigen test for SARS-CoV-2 in saliva appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Connecticut state and local health officials are collaborating on the investigation of an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness involving Gerry’s Donuts in Ellington. Laboratory testing has confirmed the outbreak has been caused by norovirus. Norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea. People of all ages can get infected and sick with […]The post Connecticut: Norovirus outbreak linked to Gerry’s Donuts in Ellington appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The South Korea Minister of Food and Drug Safety announced recently that the foodborne pathogen, Yersinia enterocolitica has been detected in more than a dozen samples of kimchi products imported from China. Regulators carried out their inspections after troubling footage said to show a cabbage processing plant in China went viral in South […]The post South Korea: Yersinia enterocolitica detected in kimchi from China appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up on the shigellosis outbreak in King County, Washington, Public Health – Seattle & King County report investigating the ongoing outbreak. Since October 2020, Public Health has identified 117 cases that are considered part of this outbreak. Of the outbreak cases, 84% are among people experiencing homelessness; 62% of cases were […]The post Seattle area Shigella outbreak update, Mainly in homeless appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The weekly dengue bulletin published by the Secretary of State for Health in Paraná, Brazil confirms 1,836 new cases of the disease and three deaths. The data accumulated in the epidemiological period, which started in August last year, registered 16,679 confirmed cases and 22 deaths, in addition to 72,775 notifications, 32,680 discarded cases and […]The post Paraná state reports 1,836 new dengue cases, 3 deaths appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By PressRelease @infectiousdiseasenews A study published this May in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases suggests that people who have had dengue in the past are twice as likely to develop symptoms of COVID-19 if they are infected by the novel coronavirus. The findings of the study were based on an analysis of blood samples from 1,285 inhabitants of Mâncio […]The post Brazil study: People who have had dengue in the past are twice as likely to develop symptoms of COVID-19 if infected appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Health Officials in Kween District in Eastern Uganda are reporting 15 people are undergoing treatment for anthrax and over 15 heads of cattle have so far succumbed to the disease since last month. One person has died from the disease. The Kween district Surveillance Officer, Phily Musobo said the outbreak started April […]The post Uganda: 15 people in Kween district treated for anthrax appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up on the dengue fever outbreak in Kenya, 553 cases have been reported within the past 4 months of January, February, March and April, with a peak of cases being reported in April in two counties on Kenya’s east coast. According to the county department of health in Mombasa, the first […]The post Kenya: Dengue outbreak tops 500 cases in eastern counties appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Public Health Center (PHC) of Ukraine reports (computer translated) in early May, a 43-year-old man was diagnosed with malaria in Odessa. For the past five months, the patient has been the captain of a seagoing ship (gas carrier) that transported to the ports of Angola. The man was hospitalized in a private […]The post Ukraine reports 5 malaria cases in sailors to Africa appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Ivermectin is an anti-parasitic drug mostly used in veterinary medicine, especially treating worm infestations. In April 2020, researchers using laboratory methods showed that Ivermectin can also inhibit the replication of SARS-CoV-2, the novel virus that causes COVID-19 illness. Since then, many authors relying on findings from small studies and case series have suggested […]The post Malaysia officials respond to ivermectin ‘miracle drug’ claims appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 In a follow-up on the diphtheria situation on the island of Hispaniola, the two countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic have now seen 23 total confirmed cases to date. The Dominican Republic with 12 confirmed cases including 9 deaths, and Haiti has seen 11 confirmed cases including 2 deaths. Vaccination coverage for […]The post Hispaniola: Diphtheria cases rise to 23 confirmed appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Reports of suspected dengue fever have shown an increasing trend in the last week. To date, there are 10,164 notifications for the virus at the country level, that is, about 10% more than that reported in the previous week. Concepción and Presidente de Hayes are the departments that registered the most cases, followed by […]The post Paraguay: Dengue cases on the rise appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews El Paso County Public Health is encouraging residents to take precautions to prevent exposure after multiple squirrels have died of suspected plague in the Patty Jewett and Divine Redeemer neighborhoods in the Colorado Springs. Test results for the squirrels are currently pending confirmation at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Laboratory, with results anticipated in the coming days. “We […]The post Plague suspected in the death of squirrels in the Colorado Springs area appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews A new CDC study adds to the growing body of real-world evidence (outside of a clinical trial setting) showing that COVID-19 mRNA vaccines authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) protect health care personnel (HCP) against COVID-19. mRNA vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) reduced the risk of getting sick with COVID-19 by 94% […]The post CDC study: COVID-19 mRNA vaccines 94% effective in health workers appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Teddy Cambosa The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States has announced the publication of a new report on the comprehensive findings about the 2020 salmonella outbreak directly linked to red onions. According to Frank Yiannas, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response, the outbreak was most likely to be linked […]The post FDA releases report to shed light on 2020 salmonella outbreak linked to red onions appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Teddy Cambosa The Department of Agriculture (DA) in the Philippines supports the decision of the national government to declare the country under a state of calamity due to the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak in the country. The proclamation was signed last May 10, 2021, under Proclamation No. 1143 by President Rodrigo Duterte. According […]The post Philippines Agriculture Dept. backs proclamation of state of calamity due to ASF outbreak appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their travel notice for Pakistan and the outbreak of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) typhoid fever this week. The ongoing outbreak began in 2016 in Sindh province, Pakistan, and spread throughout the country. Cases of XDR typhoid fever have been reported among people in North America, Europe, […]The post CDC: All travelers to Pakistan are at risk of getting XDR typhoid fever appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The number of leptospirosis cases reported in Queensland in 2021 have nearly doubled compared the same period last year, health officials report. Through May 9, Queensland has recorded 78 cases of leptospirosis across the state compared to 41 cases at the same time last year. This is a 70 per cent increase compared […]The post Australia: Leptospirosis spike reported in Queensland appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Several sentinel chickens have tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus infection, prompting the Florida Department of Health in Citrus County (DOH-Citrus) to issue a mosquito-borne advisory this week. Health officials advise residents and visitors to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes and to take basic precautions to help limit exposure as the […]The post Florida: EEE mosquito-borne advisory issued in Citrus County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews New Brunswick, Canada officials reports investigating a group of individuals who are experiencing signs and symptoms of a neurological syndrome of unknown cause (NSUC). At this time, the investigation is active and ongoing to determine if there are similarities among the reported cases that can identify potential causes for this syndrome, and to […]The post Canada: Cluster of Neurological Syndrome of Unknown Cause in New Brunswick appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Lyme disease is the most reported vector-borne disease in the country. Over the past 20 years, the United States has experienced a dramatic increase in both the number of reported cases and the geographic distribution of the disease. In Virginia, the disease is transmitted by blacklegged ticks, which are infected with the Lyme disease-causing bacterium […]The post Lyme disease: Virginia Tech researchers discovery increases understanding of how Borrelia burgdorferi causes inflammation and disease appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a world-first, Griffith University researchers have developed a new vaccine in pre-clinical studies to treat human babesiosis, a tick-transmitted disease closely related to malaria. Lead researcher Professor Michael Good AO, said the research team including PhD candidate Hanan Al-Nazal and researcher Dr Danielle Stanisic, developed a whole parasite Babesia vaccine that acts as a universal vaccine, inducing immunity […]The post Australia: Researchers develop vaccine in pre-clinical studies for human babesiosis appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews A dengue virus vaccine candidate has passed an important milestone, with promising results in animal model testing providing hope to the 390 million people infected every year. The University of Queensland-developed vaccine candidate, applied to the skin via the high-density microarray patch (HD-MAP), has produced a protective immune response in dengue-infected mice. UQ […]The post University of Queensland dengue vaccine candidate shows promising results in animal model testing appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The city of Houston health Department is reporting a congenital syphilis surge. Preliminary data indicate that fetal deaths in Harris County (including Houston) increased from four in 2019 to 14 in 2020, a 250-percent increase. “These deaths are completely preventable with simple testing and treatment,” said Beau Mitts, chief of the department’s bureau […]The post Houston-area reports 250% increase in congenital syphilis cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Armenian Ministry of Health reports an outbreak of intestinal infections in the country’s Sisian community. To date, the ministry has recorded 370 cases with diagnoses that are characteristic of intestinal infections and 7 of the 370 patients are currently undergoing treatment at a hospital. The Ministry of Health said that the patients […]The post Armenia reports gastrointestinal outbreak, Hundreds sickened appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews A human rabies death has been reported in Karachi, according to a Dunya News report. The victim was a 6-year-old boy, resident of Moro area in Sindh province. The child was taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in a critical condition after developing full-blown rabies where he died Tuesday. It is reportedly […]The post Pakistan: Human rabies death reported in Karachi appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Health officials in Reunion Island are reporting a significant increase in leptospirosis cases since the beginning of the year. In 2021 to date, 74 cases of leptospirosis have been reported in Reunion, including 35 cases in April alone. Reunion records about 100 cases annually, officials note, with the majority of them requiring hospitalization. […]The post Reunion reports increase in leptospirosis cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) is investigating multiple outbreaks of norovirus around the state. The Department is recommending precautions be taken, especially around the very young, the elderly and those at any age with weakened immune systems. They are at risk for more serious illness due to norovirus infection. Norovirus is […]The post New Mexico reports increase in norovirus outbreaks appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In a follow-up on the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) situation in Kikuube district in the western part of the country, health officials report a second case epidemiologically linked to the case patient as a primary contact. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the first case was confirmed on 28 April 2021 in […]The post Uganda CCHF update: 2nd case confirmed appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Philippines Department of Health (DOH) reported Tuesday the first two cases of the more transmissible Indian B.1.617 variant in the country. The two individuals infected with Covid-19 variant from India are both male overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). One of the two patients is a 37-year-old OFW from Oman, while the other one […]The post Philippines COVID-19: Indian variant, B.1.617, detected in OFWs appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The dengue epidemic continues on Reunion Island: indicators are still increasing, illustrating a larger epidemic this year than at the same date last year. In 2019 and 2020, there were 18,206 and 16,050 cases, respectively. Through May 4, 9,740 confirmed dengue cases have been reported since the beginning of the year, including 289 hospitalizations […]The post Reunion dengue outbreak nears 10,000, Pilot tests for release of sterile mosquitoes begins appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Swedish Public Health Agency reports investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup. 14 cases were reported between April 13 – 24 in 10 different regions in Sweden. The cases have been linked using whole genome sequencing (analysis of the bacterium’s genome). The ages vary from 0 to 91 years and ten of the cases […]The post Sweden reports Salmonella Braenderup outbreak, 14 people become ill appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is announcing that the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) has been detected on hibernating bats and cave walls in two eastern New Mexico caves managed by its Roswell Field Office. Pd is an invasive fungus that can spread rapidly, primarily through bat-to-bat contact, and that causes white-nose syndrome (WNS), in hibernating […]The post White-nose syndrome reported in bats in New Mexico appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Peer reviewed by medical experts that included three U.S. government senior scientists and published in the American Journal of Therapeutics, the research is the most comprehensive review of the available data taken from clinical, in vitro, animal, and real-world studies. Led by the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC), a group of medical and scientific […]The post Ivermectin is highly effective as a safe prophylaxis and treatment for COVID-19: Comprehensive review appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Health officials in Argentina report that a trichinosis outbreak reported on April 27 has now affected 119 people in a number of cities and towns in Córdoba province. According to the information reported by different health centers in the province, the cases include 50 from Toledo, 23 from Lozada, 27 from Río Segundo […]The post Trichinosis outbreak sickens more than 100 in Argentina, Linked to chacinados (salami) appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Swedish Public Health Agency said a study in early March on blood donors from eight regions in the country revealed up to 25 percent of donors in some regions had antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. The study showed that 22 percent of blood donors at the national level had antibodies. The incidence among blood donors […]The post Sweden: 25% of blood donors in Stockholm test positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Following the initial reports of rare side effects after vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine (Vaxevria), a registry study was initiated quickly. The study includes over 281,000 people who have received this vaccine in Norway and Denmark. It is the first study to systematically investigate the occurrence of side effects in the cardiovascular system […]The post AstraZeneca vaccine: Norway and Denmark researchers show an increased rate of rare but serious blood clots in the brain and venous blood clots appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In South Africa, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) report sequencing COVID-19 specimens from individuals with a recent travel history to India. The institute can confirm that four of the specimens tested positive for B.1.617.2 (two cases from Gauteng and two from KwaZulu-Natal). The B.1.617.2 variant is currently highlighted as a variant […]The post South Africa reports 4 cases of India variant B.1.617.2 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) is contacting students and staff who may have been exposed to a student with infectious tuberculosis (TB) disease at the University of Auckland. Medical Officer of Health Dr Shanika Perera says ARPHS was recently notified of a student with infectious TB, and is now following a well-established […]The post TB alert at the University of Auckland appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is urging people to protect themselves and their loved ones against mosquito borne diseases, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Moving forward to 2021, we must all play our part in the prevention and control of mosquito borne diseases in order to maintain our health and well-being, especially […]The post The Caribbean: CARPHA urges the public to protect against mosquito borne diseases like dengue appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Officials with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources recently learned from lab results that wild cottontail rabbit carcasses found on private land in Elkhart County near Middlebury tested positive for tularemia. While tularemia can be transmitted to humans, the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) is not aware of any human cases of tularemia […]The post Indiana: Wild cottontail rabbits test positive for tularemia in Elkhart County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Officials in Pike County, in northeastern Pennsylvania, released the findings of a first-of-its-kind baseline study by the Tick Borne Diseases Task Force. The study was conducted from 2018 to 2019 in partnership with the Dr. Jane Huffman Wildlife Genetics Institute at East Stroudsburg University. The baseline study involved the collection and testing of 1,000 […]The post Pennsylvania: Pike County Tick Borne Diseases Task Force release results of study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

With the COVID-19 vaccines on many people’s minds, some may be surprised to learn that we do not yet have vaccines for many common infectious diseases. Take salmonella, for example, which can infect people through contaminated food, water and animals. According to the World Health Organization, non-typhoidal salmonella infection affects more than 95 million people […]The post UF researchers set the stage for the development of a Salmonella vaccine appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The World Health Organization (WHO) reports a confirmed case of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in a 16-year-old girl from Kikuube District. The case was confirmed by PCR on April 28 and the patient has been isolated at Kasonga. The girl is from a village well known for rearing animals such as goats and […]The post Uganda: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever case confirmed in Kikuube District appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews On Monday, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared the end of the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak that was first announced on 7 February 2021. This was the 12th Ebola outbreak in the DRC. In this latest outbreak, 11 confirmed cases and one probable case, six deaths and six recoveries were recorded […]The post Ebola: 12th outbreak in DRC declared over appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China reported one new case of human infection with avian influenza A(H9N2) during the last week of April. The case is a 30-year-old female from Huizhou, Guangdong Province. The case had onset of mild symptoms on 20 April 2021. To date, 12 cases of […]The post China reports additional H9N2 avian influenza case in Guangdong Province appeared first on Outbreak News Today.