Infection

The Measles and Rubella Initiative enters “new era”

The Measles and Rubella Initiative enters “new era”

After an update from WHO in November 2022 that almost 40 million children are “dangerously susceptible” to measles, the Measles and Rubella Initiative (M&RI) released a statement on the future of the fight. Founded in 2001 as the Measles Initiative, it was...

BactiVac secures £1 million in Wellcome funding

BactiVac secures £1 million in Wellcome funding

In February 2023 BactiVac, the Bacterial Vaccines Network, announced that it had secured £1 million in funding from Wellcome to “accelerate the development of bacterial vaccines” and “combat the threat” of AMR.   BactiVac  BactiVac comprises 1,400 members across 78...

Mpox: still a PHEIC, says IHR Emergency Committee

Mpox: still a PHEIC, says IHR Emergency Committee

During a meeting of the International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee in February 2023 on the mpox outbreak, the current infection rates and containment measures were considered alongside plans for the future. Although the Committee commended global...

WHO responds to Nature “error in reporting” article

WHO responds to Nature “error in reporting” article

After an article in Nature in February 2023 in which it was suggested that WHO had “quietly” abandoned plans to continue the investigation into the origins of COVID-19, senior members of the organisation responded on Twitter and in a press conference. Dr Maria van...

Nature: WHO investigation into pandemic origin dropped

Nature: WHO investigation into pandemic origin dropped

In February 2023 an article in Nature announced that the WHO has “quietly shelved the second phase” of the “much-anticipated scientific investigation” into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. Referring to political challenges, the team of experts will not conduct...

Equatorial Guinea confirms outbreak of Marburg virus

Equatorial Guinea confirms outbreak of Marburg virus

In February 2023, WHO Africa confirmed that Equatorial Guinea had announced an outbreak of Marburg virus disease following the deaths of at least nine people. Preliminary tests after these deaths in the western Kie Ntem Province were positive for the viral...

Concern grows as avian flu affects more mammals

Concern grows as avian flu affects more mammals

With reports of avian flu sweeping through minks in Spain, foxes in the UK, and now other mammals across the world, concern is growing about the threat both to human and animal health from H5N1. Although the position from WHO is that the risk to humans is “low”,...