Infection
WHO mpox update: 14 countries in “active” outbreaks
A recent WHO situation report on the mpox PHEIC reveals that 14 countries on the continent have reported mpox cases in the last six weeks and are
Rwanda reports its first Marburg outbreak with six deaths
In September 2024 WHO’s Regional Office for Africa announced that Rwandan health authorities are “intensifying outbreak control efforts” after detecting Marburg
Chikungunya in India has a “notorious edge this year”
The Times of India reported in September 2024 that cases of chikungunya in children were symptomatic of a “shift” in epidemiology. Case numbers
CDC: confirmed human avian influenza case in Missouri
The United States CDC confirmed in September 2024 that a human case of avian influenza A(H5) has been reported by the state of Missouri. The case was identified
WHO: cholera cases increase and OCV stockpile under pressure
In September 2024 WHO published the global cholera statistics for 2023, revealing an increase in cases and deaths. The current global risk from
WHO declares “worrying” mpox outbreak a PHEIC
After a meeting of an International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee on 14th August 2024, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that the mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and a “growing number” of countries...
Africa CDC declares mpox PHECS and prepares for vaccines
In August 2024 Africa CDC declared the mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS), which enables the organisation to “lead and coordinate responses to significant health emergencies”. This is the first such declaration by Africa CDC since...
Before mpox emergency meeting WHO prepares for vaccine EUL
In August 2024 WHO issued an invitation for manufacturers of mpox vaccines to submit an Expression of Interest for Emergency Use Listing (EUL). This came shortly after the Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced that he has decided to convene an...
UKHSA’s whooping cough warning as cases exceed 10,000
Data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) released in August 2024 reveal that 10,493 laboratory confirmed cases of pertussis in England were reported between January and June 2024. This compares with 856 laboratory confirmed cases reported in 2023. Since the...
PAHO alert warns of growing Oropouche virus danger
The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) issued an epidemiological alert in August 2024 that urged Member States to “strengthen surveillance and implement laboratory diagnosis” to address the increase in cases of Oropouche virus (OROV). In 2024 there has been a...
Cape Town considers seal vaccination amid rabies concern
The City of Cape Town, South Africa, shared the results of an expert scientific workshop convened in partnership with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE), the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation, and Sea Search. The workshop focused on a...
Africa CDC shares update on mpox situation in Africa
Africa CDC shared a situation update on mpox on the African continent in July 2024. This reveals that between January 2022 and July 2024 a total of 37,583 cases and 1,451 deaths have been reported. The Case Fatality Rate (CFR) is 3.9%. 15 African Union Member States...
5 human cases of avian influenza identified in Colorado
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced in July 2024 that, in coordination with the Colorado Department of Agriculture, the State Emergency Operations Centre, and CDC, it is reporting a total of five human cases of avian influenza. The cases...
UKHSA whooping cough warning: cases continue
In July 2024 the UKHSA shared data revealing that cases of whooping cough are still increasing with 2,591 cases confirmed in May. A significant number of these cases are reported in babies under 3 months old, who are at greatest risk from the infection. Sadly, there...
WHO update on mpox in South Africa: 3 deaths reported
In July 2024, WHO shared a disease outbreak news update on the mpox situation in South Africa. It stated that, between 8th May and 2nd July 2024, the International Health Regulations (IHR) National Focal Point (NFP) of the Republic of South Africa had notified WHO of...
Study finds increase in STD diagnoses in the US
A study from FAIR Health in July 2024, presented as an infographic, shows that the percentage of commercially insured patients with sexually transmitted disease (STD) diagnoses rose by 4.8% from 2020 to 2023. The results are taken from FAIR Health’s repository of over...
CDC confirms fourth human case of avian influenza in the US
The US CDC stated in July 2024 that another human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5) virus infection has been identified in the US, in Colorado. It is the fourth case associated with an “ongoing multistate outbreak” in dairy cows, but the first in...
New mpox strain causes concern: “most dangerous yet”
In June 2024 health officials shared concerns about a new mpox strain that is moving along the eastern border of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), describing it as “incredibly worrying”. This variant poses a threat of cross-border and international spread, with...
Analysis finds global infectious disease outbreaks “surging”
Analysis by Airfinity and Bloomberg News, reported in June 2024, suggests that at least 13 infectious diseases are showing a resurgence. A study compiling data from over 60 organisations and public health agencies finds that more than 40 countries or territories have...
Infectious disease insights: AHCC’s Dr Jerry Brown
Next in our series of interviews with experts at The World Vaccine Congress in Washington is a conversation with Absolute Health Care Centre's Dr Jerry Brown, who joined us in Washington for a panel in the Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases track: "medical...
