Outbreak News Today

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 In a follow-up on the salmonella outbreak reported across Norway, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health has, in collaboration with the Norwegian Veterinary Institute, detected Salmonella Enteritidis with the outbreak profile in a batch of beef imported from Germany. The imported batch of beef is used for, among other things, chop dough. This product […]The post Norway salmonella outbreak strain detected in imported beef from Germany appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes routine immunizations as a key component of pediatric healthcare and a critical pillar of public health. The Chapter supports SB 1936 filed by Senator Lauren Book which would remove non-medical exemptions for vaccines statewide and help ensure that Florida’s children are protected from […]The post Vaccines: Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Supports SB 1936 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 In Saudi Arabia, health officials have reported five Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cases during the first two months of 2021. Of these five cases, all were primary cases, of whom three reported contact with camels. These five cases were reported in Riyadh (2), Makkah (2) and Eastern Province (1). Of the […]The post Saudi Arabia reports 5 MERS cases in 2021 to date appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 On March 10, 2020, the first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Bolivia, days later the Jeanine Áñez regime established a rigid quarantine followed by improvised measures, unlike the Plan Strategy for the Fight against COVID-19 implemented by the Government of President Luis Arce Catacora based on three pillars: early diagnosis, coordination at […]The post Bolivia COVID-19: One year after first cases, Prepare for 3rd wave appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A year ago, infectious disease doctor Christine Johnston was leading a study on the use of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of people with COVID-19. The trial launched at the end of March, when the disease was putting the world on pause and killing thousands. Hydroxychloroquine showed promise in studies done in test tubes rather than […]The post Hydroxychloroquine had no effect in treating people with COVID-19: Study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Variant B.1.1.7 of COVID-19 associated with a significantly higher mortality rate, research shows The highly infectious variant of COVID-19 discovered in Kent, which swept across the UK last year before spreading worldwide, is between 30 and 100 per cent more deadly than previous strains, new analysis has shown. A pivotal study, by epidemiologists from the […]The post Study: UK COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7: More deadly than previous strains appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Bay Area Lyme Foundation, a leading sponsor of Lyme disease research in the U.S., today announced the publication of new data finding that five herbal medicines had potent activity compared to commonly-used antibiotics in test tubes against Babesia duncani, a malaria-like parasite found on the West Coast of the U.S. that causes the disease babesiosis. […]The post Babesiosis: New research with herbal medicines demonstrate inhibitory activity appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 City of Houston health officials reported this week that the more contagious variant of the COVID-19 virus, the UK variant B.1.1.7, was detected widespread in Houston’s wastewater. Samples collected on February 22 detected the U.K. variant at 31 of the city’s 39 wastewater treatment plants. That’s an increase from February 8 when it was detected […]The post Houston: U.K. COVID-19 variant virus (B.1.1.7) detected at most wastewater treatment plants appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Valneva SE and Pfizer Inc. announced Monday the initiation of study VLA15-221. The VLA15-221 study builds on previous positive Phase 2 studies, incorporates new dose regimens and is anticipated to be the final Phase 2 study readout before a decision to progress into pivotal Phase 3 studies. VLA15-221 is a randomized, observer-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 […]The post Lyme Disease vaccine candidate: Final Phase 2 study initiated appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued its first set of recommendations on activities that people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can safely resume. The new guidance—which is based on the latest science — includes recommendations for how and when a fully vaccinated individual can visit with other people who are fully vaccinated and with […]The post Fully vaccinated? CDC sets out new guidance appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Rokote Laboratories Finland Ltd., a newly-founded academic spin-out based in Finland is working to develop and introduce to the markets a nasal spray vaccine against COVID. The vaccine is based on research carried out at the University of Helsinki and the University of Eastern Finland. The vaccine uses gene transfer technology developed at the University […]The post Nasal COVID vaccine introduced by Finnish researchers appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Last month, officials with the Gorgas Institute in Panama identified the first person with COVID-19 reinfection. “We have already reported the first case of reinfection confirmed at the molecular level, in a 36-year-old subject who presented a mild picture of COVID-19 in June and later in December presented another picture much milder than […]The post Panama reports 1st case of COVID-19 reinfection appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) is reporting a Salmonella outbreak which is geographically spread over large parts of country. Twenty cases have been reported–12 confirmed and 8 suspected cases. The same genetic profile have been detected in all 12 confirmed cases. Preliminary analyzes of samples from the 8 suspected cases indicate that […]The post Norway reports salmonella outbreak, 10 people hospitalized appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Diphtheria – a relatively easily-preventable infection – is evolving to become resistant to a number of classes of antibiotics and in future could lead to vaccine escape, warn an international team of researchers from the UK and India. The researchers, led by scientists at the University of Cambridge, say that the impact of COVID-19 on […]The post Diphtheria: ‘We risk it becoming a major global threat again’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 With the addition of 80,508 new COVID-19 cases in Brazil during the past 24 hours, the pandemic case count in the country has reached 11,019,344 confirmed cases of the disease. Regarding deaths, Brazil has 265,411 deaths from coronavirus. Last week, the Fiocruz Observatory published a bulletin regarding the worsening pandemic in Brazil. The […]The post Brazil: COVID-19 cases top 11 million, Fiocruz emphasizes more stringent measures appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The Minister of Health, Enrique Paris, reported that, according to a Minsal study, 68.4% of active cases as of March 4, 2021 are related to outbreaks and clusters and of these, 88% are related to family outbreaks . While the remaining 12% is related to an institutional origin. “The increase in active cases by […]The post Chile: Health Minister asks public to maintain self-care measures in family gatherings appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 A new study published in the journal, Science China Life Sciences, Chinese researchers with the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute in Heilongjiang report the discovery of new strains of African swine fever that are milder but highly transmissible. According to a statement from Harbin Veterinary Research Institute (computer translated): In 2020, the National African […]The post African swine fever: New strains found in China, Milder but highly transmissible appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A monoclonal antibody “cocktail” developed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) to neutralize the COVID-19 virus is effective against all known strains, or variants, of the virus, according to a report published in the journal Nature Medicine. That was one of the findings reported by a multi-institutional team led by researchers at Washington University School of […]The post Monoclonal antibody ‘cocktail’ blocks COVID-19 variants: Study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Cue COVID-19 Test for Home and Over The Counter (OTC) Use. The product is a molecular nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) that is intended to detect genetic material from SARS-CoV-2 virus present in the nostrils. The test is the first molecular […]The post FDA issues authorization for first molecular non-prescription, at-home COVID-19 test appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Carter Center and The Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE) announced an exciting new partnership to support the Carter Center’s innovative disease elimination efforts in the Americas. GLIDE, an initiative of the Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has pledged substantial financial and technological support for the […]The post River Blindness in the Americas, Lymphatic Filariasis and Malaria on Hispaniola elimination effort: Carter Center’s new partnership appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Seqirus announced this week that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved FLUCELVAX® QUADRIVALENT (Influenza Vaccine), the company’s cell-based quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIVc), for an expanded age indication for people two years of age and older. FLUCELVAX QUADRIVALENT was previously FDA-approved for use in persons four years of age and older. FLUCELVAX […]The post Influenza vaccine: Flucelvax Quadrivalent approved for people two years of age and older appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced the first case in Illinois of the COVID-19 variant called P.1. The P.1 variant was first identified in travelers from Brazil during routine airport screening in Tokyo, Japan, in early January but has subsequently been identified in several […]The post Brazil COVID-19 variant, P.1, reported in Chicago appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Philippines health officials reported today the detection of 52 additional B.1.351 variant (South Africa variant) cases, 31 additional B.1.1.7 variant (UK variant) cases, and 42 additional cases with mutations of potential clinical significance. This run of 350 samples sequenced by the UP-Philippine Genome Center, came from NCR, Region 7, and Returning Overseas Filipinos […]The post Philippines reports more COVID variants, Vaccines arrive in country appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Los Angeles County health officials identified four cases of suspected wound botulism associated with heroin injection in February 2021. Two of the cases possibly used the same heroin batch but the other two cases have no known connection to other cases. The sources of the heroin remain unknown and additional cases may occur. […]The post California: Four wound botulism cases linked to heroin injection reported in Los Angeles County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Bravo Packing, Inc. of Carneys Point, NJ is recalling all Ground Beef and Performance Dog, a frozen raw pet food because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. Salmonella can cause illness in animals eating the products, as well as people who handle contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands […]The post Raw pet food recalled due to Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes potential appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Officials with the Gallatin City-County Health Department have reported three cases of a variant of COVID-19 first identified in the United Kingdom, aka B.1.1.7 this week. These are the first cases of the variant virus confirmed in the state. Gallatin City-County Health Officer Matt Kelley said in a statement late Wednesday that the county […]The post Montana reports 1st UK COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their travel notice for Fiji this week with the current leptospirosis outbreak primarily seen in the Central and Northern divisions. According to the Fiji Health Ministry, 160 leptospirosis cases, including at least 10 deaths have been recorded. The Fiji Ministry of Health is […]The post Leptospirosis outbreak in Fiji prompts CDC travel notice appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated a previous travel notice on dengue fever in the Americas this week. Dengue is an ongoing risk in many parts of Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Travelers to areas of risk should protect themselves by preventing mosquito bites. In addition, the […]The post CDC: Dengue is a risk in many parts of Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Vitakraft Sun Seed Inc. of Weston, OH, is voluntarily recalling one lot of Vitakraft Vita Smart Hedgehog Food because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact […]The post Hedgehog food recalled due to Salmonella appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

According to a study published in JAMA today, researchers from the Centro de Estudios en Infectologia Pediatrica in Cali, Colombia looked at the effect of Ivermectin on time to resolution of symptoms among adults with mild COVID-19. Abstract Importance Ivermectin is widely prescribed as a potential treatment for COVID-19 despite uncertainty about its clinical benefit. Objective To determine […]The post Ivermectin: 5-day course did not significantly improve the time to resolution of mild COVID-19 symptoms appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The World Health Organization (WHO) is reporting three new cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H9N2) virus in China. The first case is a one-year-old female from Sichuan Province, China, with onset of illness on 30 November 2020. The patient had exposure to backyard poultry. The second case is a five-year-old female […]The post China reports 3 human H9N2 avian influenza cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 During the first six weeks of 2021, Brazil has reported 54 confirmed cases of measles. 250 suspected cases have been reported, of which 54 (22%) were confirmed, 35 (14%) were discarded, and 161 (64%) remain under investigation. No deaths were reported. Last year, Brazil reported more than 8000 confirmed cases and 10 deaths […]The post Brazil reports dozens of confirmed measles cases early in 2021 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The Taiwan CDC is reporting the number of visits to hospitals for diarrhea has recently increased, and the pathogens detected in cluster incidents are mainly norovirus, and most of them occur in the catering and hotel industry. According to the monitoring data of the Department of Disease Control, the total number of diarrhea […]The post Taiwan reports increase in norovirus appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 In a follow-up on the Listeria monocytogenes outbreak reported in four states and linked to queso fresco made by El Abuelito Cheese Inc. As of March 1, a total of 11 people have been infected in four states: New York, Connecticut, Maryland, and Virginia. One death has been reported from Maryland. State and local […]The post Maryland reports death in multistate Listeria outbreak appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in Guinea has grown to 17 total cases (13 confirmed and 4 probable) and eight deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The outbreak was declared on February 14. Currently, only one health district is active (reporting at least one confirmed cases) and six health districts […]The post Guinea: Ebola outbreak grows to 17 cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The South Africa National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) reported the first human rabies case and death of 2021 in a child from KwaZulu-Natal. The case was a 2-year-old boy from eNgonyameni, near uMlazi (south of eThekwini District) in KwaZulu-Natal Province. The child sustained an injury on his head while playing with a […]The post Rabies: South Africa reports first human death of 2021 in KwaZulu-Natal appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Public Health England (PHE) reports identifying up to 6 cases of the Variant of Concern first identified in Manaus, Brazil (P.1) have been detected in the UK. Officials say they’ve identified 3 of these cases of the Variant of Concern in England. Two of the cases in England are from one household in South Gloucestershire […]The post Brazil P.1 COVID-19 variant cases reported in the UK appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 In the first 54 days of 2021 alone, Acre registered 1,683 cases of dengue, according to the Department of Health Surveillance of the State Department of Health (Sesacre). Another 7,514 suspicious notifications are under analysis. That number is almost 190% higher than the same period last year. Rio Branco leads the ranking of suspected cases, […]The post Brazil: Acre state dengue fever cases top 1600 in first 2 months of 2021 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

On Saturday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the third vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The EUA allows the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine to be distributed in the U.S for use in individuals 18 years of age […]The post FDA issues Emergency Use Authorization for the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine, the 3rd to date appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 For the second time in two weeks, Auckland, New Zealand (pop. 1.7 million) will go into lockdown mode after a case of COVID-19, according to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. The city will be at Alert Level 3 for the next 7 days. This came into effect at 6am on Sunday 28 February. The […]The post Auckland goes into another lockdown after COVID-19 case reported appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 While it is early in 2021, the two countries reporting the most dengue fever to date in southeast Asia are Vietnam and the Philippines. In Vietnam, a total of 11,659 cases of dengue without any deaths have been reported through February 14. While high, it is down some 23 percent from last year […]The post Dengue fever in Vietnam and the Philippines: Among the most globally so far in 2021 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued travel notices for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Guinea due to ongoing Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreaks. The outbreak, the 12th ever in the DRC is in the North Kivu (Kivu Nord) province in the eastern part of the country–the same […]The post Ebola in Africa prompts CDC travel notice, Travelers from DRC and Guinea ‘funneled’ to 6 US airports appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

According to a statement last week from Acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Janet Woodcock M.D., there is no credible evidence of food or food packaging associated with or as a likely source of viral transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus causing COVID-19. In […]The post COVID-19 not transmitted via food: FDA statement appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 According to a Daily Nation report, at least 19 cases of the parasitic disease visceral leishmaniasis, or kala-azar have been reported in Mandera in northeastern Kenya. Mandera Public Health Chief Officer Rahma Abdullahi said the patients were referred to Wajir as Mandera cannot treat the disease. “We are engaging the Vector Borne Disease […]The post Leishmaniasis outbreak reported in Mandera, Kenya appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 CDC and public health officials in several states are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium infections linked to small turtles. As of February 20, 2021, a total of 22 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported from seven states–Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey, California, Florida and […]The post Pennsylvania, 6 other states, part of nationwide Salmonella outbreak, linked to small pet turtles appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 In a follow-up on the report of seven human avian influenza A (H5N8) cases in Russia, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a release on the first reported detection of avian influenza A(H5N8) in humans. Positive clinical specimens were collected from poultry farm workers who participated in a response operation to contain an avian […]The post H5N8 bird flu cases in humans: More WHO details from Russia appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The restrictions put in place and the resulting social isolation from the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on children’s mental and behavioral health. Joining me today to take a look at Children’s Mental Health during the Pandemic is Dr. Mamilda Robinson. Dr. Robinson is a specialty director and clinical instructor of psychiatric-mental health at […]The post The mental health of children in the time of pandemic appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A new strain of the coronavirus in Southern California, first reported last month by Cedars-Sinai, is rapidly spreading across the country and around the world as travelers apparently carry the virus with them to a growing list of global destinations, according to new research published today in the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). […]The post Southern California COVID-19 strain, CAL.20C, spreads across the country, around the world appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Pfizer Inc. recently announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted for Priority Review the company’s Biologics License Application (BLA) for TicoVac™, its tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) vaccine for active immunization to prevent TBE in individuals 1 year of age and older. If approved, TicoVac would be the first vaccine in the U.S. to help […]The post Tick-borne encephalitis vaccine: FDA accepts for Priority Review Pfizer’s application for TicoVac appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 As of Thursday, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported nine confirmed and probable Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases, including five deaths. While no confirmed cases of Ebola have been recorded outside of the country, the latest outbreak in N’Zerekore prefecture is close to porous borders with Liberia, Sierra Leone and Côte d’Ivoire. […]The post Guinea: Ebola cases rise to 9, Neighbors ramp up preparedness appeared first on Outbreak News Today.