Timely and relevant global health security news curated by GCHS
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Featured Headlines
- Why is it so hard to stop a measles outbreak?NYT Video
- Are we ready for the next one?Johns Hopkins What COVID, five years later, can teach us in an age of pandemics. From afar, the images look like clusters of tiny, multicolored dots strewn across paper. “But the dots tell a story,” immunologist Gigi Gronvall says about the two prints she framed and hung behind her desk at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.… Read more: Are we ready for the next one?
- Countries Agree on Treaty Aimed at Preventing Global Health CrisesNYT The World Health Organization finally reached a compromise on a pandemic treaty after three years of talks. The United States withdrew from negotiations after President Trump took office. After three years of contentious negotiations, the member nations of the World Health Organization have agreed on a draft of a “pandemic treaty” designed to help… Read more: Countries Agree on Treaty Aimed at Preventing Global Health Crises
- Pandemics, pathogens and being prepared: why the work to identify emerging threats never stopsThe Guardian As the UK Pandemic Sciences Network conference kicks off in Glasgow, virus expert Prof Emma Thomson says new technologies are boosting science’s ability to fight novel strains of infectious diseases Supported by About this content Kat Lay, Global health correspondentWed 23 Apr 2025 03.50 EDTShare Prof Emma Thomson is someone who knows a… Read more: Pandemics, pathogens and being prepared: why the work to identify emerging threats never stops
- Eight-year-old girl diagnosed with H5N1 avian flu accompanied by encephalitisDown to Earth Second such case in Vietnam since 2004; the virus has impacted the central nervous system as against the known respiratory tract. Vietnam has reported its first case of bird flu in 2025 infecting an eight-year-old girl exhibiting encephalitis symptoms. In December 2024, the country reported an H5 infection in an 18-year-old man… Read more: Eight-year-old girl diagnosed with H5N1 avian flu accompanied by encephalitis
- RFK Jr.’s cuts to CDC eliminate labs tracking STIs, hepatitis outbreaksWashington Post The only lab in the U.S. capable of testing for and tracking antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea, or “super gonorrhea,” was effectively shut down by layoffs. Lab scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had been analyzing blood samples for weeks to determine how dozens ofpatients across six states had become infected with viral hepatitis, a… Read more: RFK Jr.’s cuts to CDC eliminate labs tracking STIs, hepatitis outbreaks
- Measles Surge in Southwest Is Now the Largest Single Outbreak Since 2000NYT Growing case numbers suggest that the national total will surpass that seen during the last large outbreak in 2019. The spread of measles in the Southwest now constitutes the largest single outbreak since the United States declared the disease eliminated in 2000, federal scientists told state officials in a meeting on Monday. The New… Read more: Measles Surge in Southwest Is Now the Largest Single Outbreak Since 2000
Updates on ongoing disease outbreaks
- Emergence and interstate spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) in dairy cattle in the United StatesScience High-pathogenicity avian influenza subtype H5N1 is now present throughout the US, and possibly beyond. More cattle infections elevate the risk of the virus evolving the capacity to transmit between humans, potentially with high fatality rates. Nguyen et al. show that from a single transmission event from a wild bird to dairy cattle in December 2023,… Read more: Emergence and interstate spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) in dairy cattle in the United States
- Biosecurity Uptake and Perceived Risk of Avian InfluenzaGlobal Biodefense UK study shows biosecurity measures routinely implemented to limit disease spread among birds, but not with the primary view to limit zoonotic transmission from birds to humans. A recent preprint study from the University of Bristol sheds light on the biosecurity practices of individuals in the UK who regularly come into contact with birds. While… Read more: Biosecurity Uptake and Perceived Risk of Avian Influenza
- I survived bird flu – this is what it’s like: My whole skull was THROBBINGDaily Mail A middle-aged man who survived bird flu has revealed the horrific infection—which killed his brother—left him feeling as if his ‘whole skull was throbbing’. The virus, also known as H5N1, is currently spreading across the US and has reached the UK triggering global health chiefs today to warn of an impending pandemic. At present the… Read more: I survived bird flu – this is what it’s like: My whole skull was THROBBING
- Poland culls 11.5 million poultry in response to avian influenza outbreakTVP Poland has culled 11.5 million poultry as a countermeasure against avian influenza outbreaks, the Agriculture Ministry reported on Sunday. Avian influenza (bird flu) is a serious, contagious viral disease primarily affecting birds, especially poultry. It can be highly deadly and occasionally infect humans. Newcastle Disease, another viral illness affecting birds, is also often fatal,… Read more: Poland culls 11.5 million poultry in response to avian influenza outbreak
- Colorado State University studies increased threat of avian flu amid rise in household cat infections, deathsCBS News The threat of the avian flu continues to increase as household cats are experiencing increased levels of infections and deaths. Researchers at Colorado State University are helping Colorado and other states study the virus, also known as bird flu, in animals. “We are doing the testing in our bio safety level three laboratory,” said… Read more: Colorado State University studies increased threat of avian flu amid rise in household cat infections, deaths
- New antiviral compounds show broad protection against COVID-19 variantsMedical News Since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, numerous novel antiviral therapeutic agents have been developed to target key proteases involved in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) replication. Nirmatrelvir and ensitrelvir, for example, are main protease (Mpro) inhibitors that are… Read more: New antiviral compounds show broad protection against COVID-19 variants
- Is Covid Rewriting the Rules of Aging? Brain Decline Alarms DoctorsWSJ Millions of long-Covid patients continue to struggle with cognitive difficulties. Five years after the pandemic’s start, millions of Americans are still struggling with long-lasting symptoms of Covid-19. Cognitive difficulties are among the most troubling and common symptoms in people both old and young. These ailments can be… Read more: Is Covid Rewriting the Rules of Aging? Brain Decline Alarms Doctors
- Why is it so hard to stop a measles outbreak?NYT Video
- Measles Outbreaks in Canada and Mexico Bring Grim PrognosisNYT Surges in Mennonite communities near the U.S. border may complicate containment efforts, experts say. As the United States struggles to contain a resurgence of measles that has swept through swaths of the Southwest, neighboring countries are responding to their own outbreaks. Canada has reported more than 730 cases this year, making this one of the worst… Read more: Measles Outbreaks in Canada and Mexico Bring Grim Prognosis
- Even a small uptick in vaccination could prevent millions of US measles cases.ABC News Measles cases are continuing to spread throughout the U.S. with outbreaks in at least six states. Public health experts have previously said lagging vaccination rates are to blame for the rise in cases, at least partly due to vaccine hesitancy and vaccine fatigue left over from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, even a small… Read more: Even a small uptick in vaccination could prevent millions of US measles cases.
- Measles outbreak in Texas surpasses 600 confirmed casesUSA Today The measles outbreak in Texas has surpassed 600 confirmed cases in 2025, with nearly 30 new infections reported since April 18, the state health department said. As of April 22, there have been 624 measles cases confirmed in Texas since late January, according to new data released by the Texas Department of State Health… Read more: Measles outbreak in Texas surpasses 600 confirmed cases
- Mpox found in North Carolina wastewater testing samples: What that means15 News North Carolina health officials are warning the public and medical practitioners to be on alert after a type of mpox never before found in the state was detected during routine wastewater testing. In an April… Read more: Mpox found in North Carolina wastewater testing samples: What that means
- Mpox testing gaps raise risk of cross-border spreadThe Independent Foreign aid cuts could result in a major outbreak of mpox across the African continent and beyond, with virus control measures already disrupted, public health experts warn. Mpox testing and monitoring efforts… Read more: Mpox testing gaps raise risk of cross-border spread
Emerging Infectious Disease Headlines
- Scientists say global conditions are ripe for a yellow fever pandemicMedical News A recent study published in the journal npj Viruses proposed that global trends, including unprecedented urbanization, increased international travel, and the expansion of mosquito habitats, increase the odds of the… Read more: Scientists say global conditions are ripe for a yellow fever pandemic
- Plasmodium cynomolgi: potential emergence of new zoonotic malaria in Southeast AsiaBMC The reported cases of Plasmodium cynomolgi in Southeast Asia pose a significant public health concern. Sporadic reports of human Plasmodium cynomolgi infections have increased in the past few years, raising attention regarding its… Read more: Plasmodium cynomolgi: potential emergence of new zoonotic malaria in Southeast Asia
- We’re Releasing Millions Of Birds. The Ticks Are ThrivingForbes Each summer in the U.K., up to 50 million pheasants are released into woods and fields for recreational shooting. At their seasonal peak, the biomass of these birds rivals that of all… Read more: We’re Releasing Millions Of Birds. The Ticks Are Thriving
- Typhoid Is Rapidly Becoming Resistant to AntibioticsScience Alert Typhoid fever might be rare in developed countries, but this ancient threat, thought to have been around for millennia, is still very much a danger in our modern world. According to… Read more: Typhoid Is Rapidly Becoming Resistant to Antibiotics
- Oregon health officials investigate rare brain disease blamed for two deathsLos Angeles Times Health officials in Hood River County, Ore., are investigating three cases of a rare and fatal brain disease known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Two people have died and… Read more: Oregon health officials investigate rare brain disease blamed for two deaths
- Ex-Foreign Minister Publishes Liberia’s First Insider Ebola AccountMSN In a powerful moment of national remembrance and literary pride, former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf joined government officials, survivors, and dignitaries at the National Museum to launch “Stepping Up… Read more: Ex-Foreign Minister Publishes Liberia’s First Insider Ebola Account
Read more Emerging Infectious Diseases
- New Antimicrobial Paint Kills Flu, MRSA, and COVID-19 on ContactSciTechDaily A new bacteria-killing paint shows powerful promise in eliminating dangerous pathogens like MRSA and COVID-19 from hard surfaces. nfused with chlorhexidine, a trusted dental disinfectant, the coating works on plastics and metals and activates once dry.… Read more: New Antimicrobial Paint Kills Flu, MRSA, and COVID-19 on Contact
- A New UV Light May Help Stop Future PandemicsInfectious Disease Advisor Five years after COVID-19 first hit the United States, scientists are already brainstorming how to stop the next big virus. One possible solution? A special kind of ultraviolet light called far-UVC, CBS News reported.… Read more: A New UV Light May Help Stop Future Pandemics
- Scientists hope far-UVC light could help stop the next airborne pandemic before it startsCBS News Five years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic first swept across the U.S., infecting millions and claiming hundreds of thousands of lives. Scientists are already concerned about the next airborne threat, but in the future, a powerful new… Read more: Scientists hope far-UVC light could help stop the next airborne pandemic before it starts
- Antiviral drug ensitrelvir shows promise in preventing household COVID spreadCIDRAP People who started taking the antiviral drug ensitrelvir within 72 hours after a household member tested positive for COVID-19 were significantly less likely to be infected, according to results from an international phase 3… Read more: Antiviral drug ensitrelvir shows promise in preventing household COVID spread
- What We Know About Covid’s Impact on Your BrainBloomberg Scientists worry that persistent cognitive issues caused by Covid signal that a surge in dementia cases and other mental conditions is on the horizon. Five years after the pandemic began, researchers are increasingly recognizing the… Read more: What We Know About Covid’s Impact on Your Brain
- Women have a higher risk for long covid. Estrogen may play a role.Washington Post A new study shows non-menopausal women between the ages of 40 and 54 had a significantly higher risk of developing long covid than men. Women have a higher risk of developing long covid… Read more: Women have a higher risk for long covid. Estrogen may play a role.
- Should you get a measles booster? Here’s what to know.Washington Post Most people in the United States have gotten the two doses of the MMR vaccine as children, but a measles vaccine booster may help some adults. There have been 800 confirmed cases of… Read more: Should you get a measles booster? Here’s what to know.
- RFK Jr. plans changes to vaccine injury reporting systemSTAT Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Tuesday that he plans to roll out changes to the vaccine injury monitoring system that would automate and increase data collection as well as look for… Read more: RFK Jr. plans changes to vaccine injury reporting system
- The Many Ways Kennedy Is Already Undermining VaccinesNew York Times The health secretary has chipped away at the idea that immunizing children against measles and other diseases is a public health good. During his Senate confirmation hearings to be health secretary,… Read more: The Many Ways Kennedy Is Already Undermining Vaccines
- Anti-Vaxxers Are Grifting Off the Measles Outbreak—and Claim a Bioweapon Caused ItWired Activists affiliated with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are selling a “measles treatment and prevention protocol” for hundreds of dollars, including supplements supposedly formulated by AI. Anti-vaccine activists with close ties to US health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are… Read more: Anti-Vaxxers Are Grifting Off the Measles Outbreak—and Claim a Bioweapon Caused It
- Like measles, misinformation is spreading, poll findsNPR The U.S. has now reported more than 800 measles cases in at least two dozen states. The vast majority of cases — more than 600 — are in Texas. In the midst of the outbreak, a new poll shows how much… Read more: Like measles, misinformation is spreading, poll finds
- Do You Have Your Cootie Shot?The Atlantic The classic kids’ game teaches a lesson about public health that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has failed to learn. A sudden and mysterious outbreak of communicable disease began recently in my apartment building in Manhattan. Three 7-year-olds, a… Read more: Do You Have Your Cootie Shot?
- New Yorkers reflect on COVID-19 impact: reporting anger, isolation, and unexpected growth6 News Five years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the latest poll by the Siena College Research Institute reveals that 67% of New Yorkers report either they or a family member contracted the virus, with 37% experiencing it… Read more: New Yorkers reflect on COVID-19 impact: reporting anger, isolation, and unexpected growth
Interesting and Sometimes Funny
- Humans’ Wounds Heal Much More Slowly Than Other Mammals’NYT We naked apes need Band-Aids, but shedding the fur that speeds healing in other mammals may have helped us evolve other abilities. Watching wild baboons in Kenya, Akiko Matsumoto-Oda, an evolutionary biologist and primatologist at the University of the Ryukyus in Japan, had a front-row seat to the violence between these monkeys, especially the… Read more: Humans’ Wounds Heal Much More Slowly Than Other Mammals’