Outbreak News Today

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Officials at the Sir Ganga Ram hospital in Delhi, India are reporting at least 13 cases of COVID-19-triggered mucormycosis, a serious but rare fungal infection, according to multiple local media reports. Times of India reports, “In the last 15 days, we have seen 13 cases of COVID-19-triggered mucormycosis. Five have died. At least […]The post Delhi hospital reports 13 cases of COVID-19-triggered mucormycosis appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

With the health care community heavily focused on COVID-19 since the first quarter of 2020, there have been concerns that reporting of other diseases — and the resulting data that enables them to be more effectively treated and controlled — may have been impacted. For example, little is known about how the pandemic may have […]The post Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers study suggests reporting of sexually transmitted infections may be impacted by COVID-19 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Sanofi has signed on December 10th a renewed partnership agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO), consolidating a 20-year collaboration to fight some of the most Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and supporting the WHO in its commitment to sustainably eliminate sleeping sickness before 2030. With this new 5-year commitment, Sanofi will provide a consistent financial support […]The post Eliminate sleeping sickness before 2030: Sanofi supports WHO in commitment appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Molluscum contagiosum is a common and highly contagious skin condition caused by a virus. According to dermatologists from the American Academy of Dermatology, the condition mostly affects children — adults are often immune to the infection — and causes pearly, flesh-colored bumps to appear on the skin. The bumps can appear anywhere, and […]The post Molluscum Contagiosum: Dermatologists offer tips on preventing spread appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the first over-the-counter (OTC) fully at-home diagnostic test for COVID-19. The Ellume COVID-19 Home Test is a rapid, lateral flow antigen test, a type of test that runs a liquid sample along a surface with reactive molecules. The test […]The post COVID-19 OTC at-home test receives FDA nod appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Health officials in England are reporting a new variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) has been identified across the South East of England. The variant has been named ‘VUI – 202012/01’ (the first Variant Under Investigation in December 2020) following an increase in cases seen in Kent and London. As of 13 […]The post England reports new variant of SARS-CoV-2 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The first COVID-19 vaccine has received emergency use authorization. Yet a key question remains: Will U.S. adults be willing to get it? A new study led by a Virginia Commonwealth University professor is among the first to examine the psychological and social predictors of U.S. adults’ willingness to get a future COVID-19 vaccine and whether […]The post Older people and Black people less likely to be willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine: Study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Officials with the Chinese National Health Commission announced they are applying for World Health Organization (WHO) malaria eradication certification today. This comes after not seeing a locally-acquired malaria case since 2017–four consecutive years and counting. According to WHO standards, certification of malaria eradication can be granted to a country that has seen no […]The post China reports no locally transmitted cases of malaria for four consecutive years, Applies for eradication certification appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) reminded the public to abstain from the state holiday tradition– eating raw meat sandwiches, sometimes called Tiger Meat or Cannibal Sandwiches. What is a cannibal sandwich? A cannibal sandwich or Tiger meat sandwich is by definition, raw ground beef typically served on rye bread or crackers […]The post Cannibal Sandwiches: Wisconsin officials advise against this holiday tradition appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The Louisville Zoo announced Friday that a snow leopard has tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans. The affected animal is a 5-year-old female named NeeCee. The Zoo is awaiting confirmatory results of the other two male snow leopards – Kimti and Meru. All three cats are doing well […]The post Louisville Zoo: Snow leopard tests positive for SARS-CoV-2 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Swedish health officials, or Folkhalsomyndigheten report occasional genetic changes have been found in the virus SARS-CoV-2 in minks in Sweden, but it is not the same virus variant that has been noticed in minks with viruses in Denmark. In mid-October, it was discovered that the virus SARS-CoV-2, which causes covid-19 in humans, was […]The post SARS-CoV-2 in minks in Sweden not the same variant found in Denmark appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Chinese health authorities report a human case of avian influenza A(H5N6) in a 81-year-old female farmer from Changzhou of Jiangsu Province. The individual had exposure to live chicken at home prior to developing symptoms on November 16. She was hospitalized and subsequently passed away on November 27. From 2014 to date, 25 human […]The post China reports H5N6 avian influenza death in Jiangsu Province appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The Ministry of Health announced Friday an additional 1,132 COVID-19 cases, bringing the country total to 150,947 confirmed cases. Of this total, 112,622 people have recovered and 1,895 deaths have been recorded. On Friday, Representatives of the Ministry of Health, the Costa Rican Social Security Fund and the National Emergency Commission recapitulated the […]The post Costa Rica COVID-19 cases top 150K, Vaccines to arrive in the first quarter of 2021 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, NY announced Friday the death of a second elephant calf in days. 5-year-old Batu died due to Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpes Virus (EEHV) early Friday morning, said Rosamond Gifford Zoo Director Ted Fox. EEHV is caused by a strain of herpes virus that targets Asian elephants. Batu’s little […]The post Syracuse: Rosamond Gifford Zoo loses second elephant calf to herpes virus appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The majority of pregnant women who tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival to the delivery room were asymptomatic, according to a paper by Mount Sinai researchers published in PLOS One on Thursday, December 10. The pregnant patients who tested positive for the coronavirus were also more likely than those who tested negative to identify as […]The post Majority of pregnant women who tested positive for COVID-19 were asymptomatic, according to study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 In a statement Friday from Susan R. Bailey, M.D., President, American Medical Association (AMA), she says the following: “For much of this year, physicians, nurses and frontline health care personnel have done herculean, unprecedented work to care for patients and prevent the spread of COVID-19 – all while scientists and researchers sprinted to […]The post AMA Statement on FDA Authorization of First COVID-19 Vaccine appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the first emergency use authorization (EUA) for a vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in individuals 16 years of age and older. The emergency use authorization allows the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to […]The post FDA issues EUA for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 It’s been shown that when two people wearing masks interact, the chance of COVID-19 transmission is drastically reduced. This is why public health officials have pleaded for all people to wear masks: they not only protect the wearer from expelling particles that might carry SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), but […]The post Researchers evaluate face masks and coverings as protection against COVID-19 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 In an update on the the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) reported an additional 1,504 new infections Friday, bringing the country total to 447,039. Of the cities with new cases, Davao City reported the most with 122, followed by Rizal province with 85 and Quezon City with […]The post Philippines COVID-19 update: Christmas with no karaoke singing, DOH recommends face masks for gifts appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Last year, the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) in Las Vegas reported on a gonorrhea case with reduced susceptibility to ceftriaxone and cefixime. Today, the Southern Nevada Public Health Laboratory reported in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) more details on the case. According to […]The post Nevada: Gonorrhea case with mosaic penA60 allele identified, First in the US appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 In a follow-up on epizootic yellow fever in monkeys in Paraná state, Brazil, The State Department of Health confirmed eight deaths of monkeys from infection with the yellow fever virus Wednesday. The cases occurred in Clevelândia (2), Coronel Domingos Soares (3) and Mangueirinha (1) and Cruz Machado (2). Since July 1, Paraná officials […]The post Yellow fever: More monkey deaths in Paraná state appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 In British Columbia, Fraser Health has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at a mink farm in the Fraser Valley. After at least eight workers on the farm tested positive for COVID-19, five mink samples were collected and submitted to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease in Winnipeg and were […]The post Canada: COVID-19 outbreak at a mink farm in the Fraser Valley, British Columbia appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 European officials report 561 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus detections in wild birds, poultry and captive birds since mid-August from 16 countries, according to a Scientific Report published yesterday. Two-thirds of the detections, or 370, were in Germany, followed by Denmark and the Netherlands. Three HPAI virus subtypes, A(H5N8) (n=518), A(H5N5) (n=17) […]The post Europe: More than 500 avian influenza detections, Most in Germany appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Today, the Health Minister of Kerala State in southwestern India, Shailaja Teacher, tweeted that the state has reported it’s first case of Plasmodium ovale malaria. She notes, Plasmodium ovale, a new genus of malaria, has been detected in the State. It was found in a soldier who was being treated at the District […]The post India: Plasmodium ovale malaria reported in Kerala, Found in soldier returning from Africa appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Canadian health officials announced Wednesday the authorization of the first COVID-19 vaccine. Health Canada has determined that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine meets the Department’s stringent safety, efficacy and quality requirements for use in Canada after two months of thorough, independent review. Canadians can feel confident that the review process was rigorous and that we […]The post Canada approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A vaccine that induces immune responses to a wide spectrum of influenza virus strains and subtypes has produced strong and durable results in early-stage clinical trials in humans, Mount Sinai researchers have found. The universal influenza virus vaccine, which produces antibodies that target the part of the surface protein of the influenza virus known to […]The post Universal influenza virus vaccine: Strong and durable results in early-stage clinical trials in humans appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Flaviviruses — a group of viruses transmitted by ticks or mosquitoes — infect an estimated 400 million people annually with diseases like yellow fever, Dengue fever, West Nile virus, and, most recently, Zika virus. Outbreaks of Zika virus, a flavivirus originating in Africa, were once rare and isolated events. But in 2015, it […]The post Zika virus: Virginia Tech researchers receives $2M grant to develop vaccine appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Last month, a multidisciplinary panel led by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the American Academy of Neurology, and the American College of Rheumatology published the 2020 Guidelines for the Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Lyme Disease in Clinical Infectious Diseases. The authors say it provides recommendations aimed to serve as a meaningful resource for […]The post Lyme disease guidelines 2020: A discussion with Lorraine Johnson, JD appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The Barcelona Zoo is reporting four of their lions have contracted SARS-CoV-2, the second known case in which big cats have contracted the virus. Three females named Zala, Nima and Run Run and one male, Kiumbe, were examined in November after caregivers noted they were showing mild symptoms of the disease. Two zoo […]The post Barcelona Zoo reports SARS-CoV-2 in four lions appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Brazilian media report on the first possible Candida auris case in a man hospitalized with COVID-19 in Bahia state. Earlier this week, the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) issued an alert about an ongoing investigation. According to Anvisa’s warning, the fungus was identified in “a tip sample from a patient in an adult […]The post Brazil reports 1st possible Candida auris case in Bahia appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Bartonella bacteria are increasingly recognized as an emerging infectious disease threat. A new study by North Carolina State University researchers has found additional instances of Bartonella infection in humans who exhibited neuropsychiatric symptoms, a subset of whom also had skin lesions. This research adds to the body of evidence that not only can Bartonella infection mimic a spectrum of chronic […]The post Bartonella infection associated with psychiatric symptoms and skin lesions: NC State study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 In Norway, the Institute of Public Health, or Folkehelseinstituttet reported today monitoring data and modeling show a decrease in the spread of infection over the last three weeks. 2,500 cases have been reported in the week ending December 5, a decrease of 14 per cent compared with the previous week when 2,921 cases […]The post Norway reports a decrease in the COVID-19 spread in recent weeks, ‘The situation is still unstable’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Following the alerts notified by the Dutch health authorities last April, specific surveillance systems were put in place and biosecurity measures were reinforced in all mink farms in France from May. Analyzes have been carried out since mid-November as part of a scientific program led by ANSES to define the health status of […]The post French mink farms: The SARS-CoV-2 investigation appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 On Tuesday, the French Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu had been found on a duck farm in the town of Benesse-Maremne in Landes Department. The death of ducks was first observed on December 5. As a preventive measure, in the light of the first analysis results obtained by […]The post France reports H5N8 avian influenza on Landes duck farm appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have come one step closer toward understanding why some people become seriously ill or die from a common bacterium that leaves most people unharmed. In a study published in The Lancet Microbe, the researchers linked RNA mutations within the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis to invasive meningococcal disease, marking the first time a non-coding […]The post Researchers study why some people become seriously ill or die from Neisseria meningitidis appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Scientists from Johns Hopkins University and Medicine have developed a possible new antibiotic for a pathogen that is notoriously resistant to medications and frequently lethal for people with cystic fibrosis and other lung ailments. The pathogen, called Mycobacterium abscessus, is related to a better-known bacterium that causes tuberculosis and leprosy but has recently emerged as […]The post Mycobacterium abscessus: Johns Hopkins scientists develop a possible new antibiotic appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 In New Zealand, Auckland health officials are reporting a dramatic increase in norovirus outbreaks, in fact a tenfold increase, in the region’s early learning services (ELSs) in November. Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) reports responding to 29 norovirus outbreaks, with 21 of these being in ELS facilities. Around 64 staff and 280 attendees […]The post Auckland reports large increase in norovirus outbreaks, Linked to use of improper cleaning products appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

SCYNEXIS, Inc., a biotechnology company pioneering innovative medicines to overcome and prevent difficult-to-treat and drug-resistant infections, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for filing the SCYNEXIS’s New Drug Application (NDA) for ibrexafungerp for the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), also known as vaginal yeast infections. The FDA has granted […]The post Vaginal Yeast Infections treatment, Oral Ibrexafungerp, receives FDA Acceptance and Priority Review of New Drug Application appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Officials in Hiroshima Prefecture are reporting a H5 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on a farm in Mihara City. This is the 17th case in domestic poultry in six prefectures in Japan. This prompted the start of culling of around 130,000 chickens at the site and other affiliated farms. Highly pathogenic […]The post Japan reports bird flu outbreak in Hiroshima Prefecture appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 In a follow-up on the SARS-CoV-2 mink-associated variant strain in Denmark, the Statens Serum Institut (SSI) reports there has been a marked decrease in the number of persons residing on mink farms infected with SARS-CoV-2, while at the same time, the strain is infecting more of society in the general community. According to SSI, the […]The post Denmark: Mink variant of SARS-CoV-2 affects more of community, Less in mink farmers appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned last month that millions of children are at a heightened risk of polio and measles across the globe due to disruptions of the immunization services worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The UN agencies say immunization rates in some countries have fallen […]The post Immunization rates dropping dramatically, Much due to the COVID-19 pandemic appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 In a follow-up on the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) situation in South Carolina, Clemson Livestock Poultry Health has reported an additional EEE case in a Aiken County horse. The eight-year-old mare did not survive. This is the state’s 16th EEE case and Aiken County’s third case of 2020. EEE is a mosquito-borne illness […]The post South Carolina reports 16th EEE case in a horse, 3rd in Aiken County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 UN health officials in the Americas, or the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) have reported 2,163,354 total dengue cases (45% lab confirmed) in the Western Hemisphere through November 21, including 872 total dengue related deaths. This puts the case fatality rate at 0.04%, the lowest recorded in the last 10 years. Brazil continues […]The post Dengue fever in the Americas: Lowest case fatality rate in 10 years appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The Philippines Department of Health (DOH) reported an additional 1,768 new confirmed COVID-19 cases today, bringing the country total to 439,834. Quezon City recorded the most new cases with 112 infections, followed by Laguna with 94, Rizal with 90, Davao City with 71, and Benguet with 69. DOH also reports 408,634 of the […]The post Philippines COVID-19: 1,768 new confirmed cases, Police to enforce social distancing with rattan sticks in Manila appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 While multiple research studies show that Black and Hispanic patients are more likely to test positive for COVID-19, a team of investigators at NYU Langone Health has found that once hospitalized, Black patients (after controlling for other serious health conditions and neighborhood income) were less likely to have severe illness, die, or be […]The post NYU Langone study: Once hospitalized, black patients with COVID-19 have lower risk of death than white appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The Uganda Ministry of Health is reporting a 42 percent increase in malaria cases in the past year (2019/2020), according to a report in the Daily Monitor. Dr Joyce Moriku Kaducu said malaria cases went from 10,483,412 cases in 2018/19 to 14,904,773 in 2019/20 , linking the surge to heavy rains during the […]The post Uganda reports rise in malaria, Blamed on heavy rains appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Officials in the Kenge health zone, Kwango province in southwest Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are reporting 227 suspected Chikungunya cases in recent weeks. Health zone chief doctor, Dr Léon Makambu said, “We are suspecting Chikungunya, that’s our presumptive diagnosis. Since the 45th epidemiological week, that has already made 227 cases. “We are […]The post DRC: More than 200 suspect Chikungunya cases reported in Kwango province appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The Swedish Public Health Agency Friday specified the recommendations on which groups should be offered vaccines against COVID-19 first. Initially, when the first vaccine doses arrive in Sweden, they first and foremost need to go to people who have the greatest need for protection. The Swedish Public Health Agency therefore recommends in the […]The post Sweden outlines COVID-19 vaccine prioritization appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 A yellow fever outbreak has been reported in five states in Nigeria (Bauchi, Benue, Delta, Ebonyi, and Enugu) prompting the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to say if you’re traveling to Nigeria, take steps to prevent yellow fever by getting vaccinated at least 10 days before travel and taking steps […]The post Traveling to Nigeria? CDC says get your yellow fever vaccine appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the SARS-CoV-2 Mink-associated Variant Strain in Denmark, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a second Disease Outbreak News: Since June 2020, Danish authorities have reported an extensive spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, on mink farms in Denmark. On 5 November, the Danish public health authorities reported the detection of a […]The post WHO update: Denmark SARS-CoV-2 mink-associated variant strain appeared first on Outbreak News Today.