Timely and relevant global health security news curated by GCHS
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Featured Headlines
- The Deaths Doctors Never Thought They’d See in the U.S.The Atlantic For years, the worst outcomes of measles were all but unknown in America. Now they look inevitable. Of every 1,000 people the measles virus infects, it may kill as few as one to three. In a way, this can seem merciful. But the mathematics of measles is also unforgiving. The virus is estimated… Read more: The Deaths Doctors Never Thought They’d See in the U.S.
- As measles cases climb, these 9 diseases threaten comebacksWashington Post When it comes to infectious diseases, measles is “the canary in the coal mine,” one expert said. There are more than 900 confirmed measles cases in the United States, as of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent weekly count. It’s less than two months into the year, “and we already have over… Read more: As measles cases climb, these 9 diseases threaten comebacks
- US catches case of New World screwworm. What can be done to stop its spread?The Hill Agricultural inspectors in Florida have stopped a case of the parasitic New World screwworm from entering the U.S., the state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced at the start of February. The screwworm was spotted on an imported horse from Argentina as it went through routine examination entering the U.S. Inspectors were able… Read more: US catches case of New World screwworm. What can be done to stop its spread?
Updates on ongoing disease outbreaks
- Avian influenza again confirmed in poultry in ArgentinaWatt Poultry A new report from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) stated that the presence of HPAI was confirmed on February 23 in the province of Buenos Aires. The affected farm raised what WOAH referred to as “heavy breeding stock.” The operator of the farm reported to the National Service of Agri-Food Health and Quality… Read more: Avian influenza again confirmed in poultry in Argentina
- Third, fourth cases of bird flu detected in IowaIowa News Officials confirmed the third and fourth cases of avian influenza, also known as bird flu, in Iowa this year. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) announced Wednesday that cases of avian influenza were detected in multi-species backyard flocks in Van Buren and Keokuk Counties. These are the third and fourth… Read more: Third, fourth cases of bird flu detected in Iowa
- Why are Avian Flu cases so much higher in Midstate Pennsylvania?ABC 27 The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has recorded more than 7 million avian flu cases this year, which accounts for 80% of the cases nationwide. Why is the virus so much worse here? Governor Shapiro and Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding met with poultry producers and other industry leaders on Tuesday at a roundtable in Lancaster County, one… Read more: Why are Avian Flu cases so much higher in Midstate Pennsylvania?
- Deadly bird flu found in California elephant seals for the first timeLA Times The H5N1 bird flu virus that devastated South American elephant seal populations has been confirmed in seals at California’s Año Nuevo State Park, researchers from UC Davis and UC Santa Cruz announced Wednesday. The virus has ravaged wild, commercial and domestic animals across the globe and was found in seven weaned pups. The… Read more: Deadly bird flu found in California elephant seals for the first time
- Bird flu ravaging Antarctic wildlife, scientist warnsAFP Scientists are sounding the alarm over the spread of bird flu across Antarctica, with a leading Chilean researcher telling AFP Tuesday of an observed strain “capable of killing 100 percent” of infected fauna. Researchers have been warning in recent years of bird flu’s spread on the icy continent, which hosts temporary teams of scientists… Read more: Bird flu ravaging Antarctic wildlife, scientist warns
- Bird Flu Hits Central Indiana: Nearly 19,000 Turkeys Affected in Boone CountyHoosier Ag Today The Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) reported that the virus was detected at a commercial breeder turkey farm in Boone County housing 18,763 birds. This marks the first confirmed case of HPAI in central Indiana since January 2025, when the virus was identified in a small, non-commercial hobby flock of… Read more: Bird Flu Hits Central Indiana: Nearly 19,000 Turkeys Affected in Boone County
- COVID’s origins: what we do and don’t knowNature Researchers summarize key insights from the world’s first comprehensive investigation into how a pandemic started. We are 23 of the 27 original members of the Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO) for the World Health Organization (WHO). After nearly 3.5 years… Read more: COVID’s origins: what we do and don’t know
- How Covid Quietly Rewires the BrainBloomberg Researchers keep discovering more about the long-term neurological effects of SARS-CoV-2. Doctors call it Ondine’s curse—a catastrophic failure of the brain stem in which breathing no longer happens automatically, especially during sleep. It’s extremely rare, typically seen only in infants with genetic mutations or adults after… Read more: How Covid Quietly Rewires the Brain
INFLUENZA
- Flu’s Seasonal FuryMedpage Today Influenza can sicken and kill. Vaccines are our best defense. Why…? Why…? Why…? Jasper whimpered, not just once or twice, but repeatedly. It was January 2026. For one awful week, my friend’s 21-month-old grandson was practically inert, spiked fevers to 103o, and barely ate or drank, all the while voicing his single word of… Read more: Flu’s Seasonal Fury
- 7 states back in CDC’s worst tier for flu as influenza B spreadsThe Hill As one variant of the flu virus starts to decline, another is rising to take its place. At the end of last year, when flu activity spiked amid the holidays, influenza A – specifically the subclade K variant of H3N2 – was dominant. It was making so many people sick, the variant was nicknamed “super flu.” Influenza A… Read more: 7 states back in CDC’s worst tier for flu as influenza B spreads
- Influenza epidemic declared in Puerto RicoSan Juan Star Island Health Secretary Víctor Ramos Otero announced on Tuesday the declaration of an influenza epidemic in Puerto Rico, after the established criteria for incidence and growth rate of cases were met during the 2025-2026 season. “An influenza epidemic has been declared,” Ramos Otero said at a press conference. “The region with the… Read more: Influenza epidemic declared in Puerto Rico
- Spain’s Mpox Surge Continues in Madrid Over Vaccination GapsVax Before Travel Spain, a favorite destination for international travelers in 2026, is currently facing a concerning rise in mpox (monkeypox) cases within the European Union. Health authorities have reported an increase in infections… Read more: Spain’s Mpox Surge Continues in Madrid Over Vaccination Gaps
- Wild Monkeys Fall Sick With Mpox After Eating Squirrels: Is This How The Virus Jumped To Humans?IFL Science A dead squirrel, an outbreak in monkeys, and the trail of a virus. or the first time, researchers have captured direct evidence of the monkeypox virus (MPXV) jumping between two wild animal… Read more: Wild Monkeys Fall Sick With Mpox After Eating Squirrels: Is This How The Virus Jumped To Humans?
- The Deaths Doctors Never Thought They’d See in the U.S.The Atlantic For years, the worst outcomes of measles were all but unknown in America. Now they look inevitable. Of every 1,000 people the measles virus infects, it may kill as few as one to three. In a way, this can seem merciful. But the mathematics of measles is also unforgiving. The virus is estimated… Read more: The Deaths Doctors Never Thought They’d See in the U.S.
- As measles cases climb, these 9 diseases threaten comebacksWashington Post When it comes to infectious diseases, measles is “the canary in the coal mine,” one expert said. There are more than 900 confirmed measles cases in the United States, as of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent weekly count. It’s less than two months into the year, “and we already have over… Read more: As measles cases climb, these 9 diseases threaten comebacks
- Hospitals Fighting Measles Confront a Challenge: Few Doctors Have Seen It BeforeKFF At around 2 a.m., 7-year-old twin brothers arrived at Mission Hospital in Asheville. Both had a fever, a cough, a rash, pink eye, and cold symptoms. The boys sat in one waiting room and then another. Two hours and 20 minutes passed before the two were isolated, according to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services… Read more: Hospitals Fighting Measles Confront a Challenge: Few Doctors Have Seen It Before
- As Measles Cases Pass 1,000 for the Year, Experts Urge VaccinationMedPageToday There are already “more than half the number of cases seen in all of 2025,” one pediatrician said. U.S. measles cases have topped 1,000 just 2 months into 2026, and outbreaks persist in a number of states, namely South Carolina and Arizona/Utah. “It is very concerning to see more than 1,000 cases in the U.S. this… Read more: As Measles Cases Pass 1,000 for the Year, Experts Urge Vaccination
Emerging Infectious Disease Headlines
- Unseasonal New World screwworm migration spurs proactive measuresFarm Progress A warmer-than-normal winter has enabled New World screwworm to overwinter in Mexico. As it inches closer to Texas, the U.S. is committed to preventing the pest from destroying… Read more: Unseasonal New World screwworm migration spurs proactive measures
- What makes bats important reservoirs of zoonotic viruses like Nipah Indian Express Nipah virus was first identified in 1998 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia. Later, pteropus bat populations have been identified as its primary reservoir. How do… Read more: What makes bats important reservoirs of zoonotic viruses like Nipah
- Nipah Virus Outbreak Has Asia on High Alert Amid Deaths in IndiaScience Alert An outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus in India has put many countries in Asia on high alert, given the fatality rate in humans can be between 40% and 75%. Several… Read more: Nipah Virus Outbreak Has Asia on High Alert Amid Deaths in India
- Washington State: High School confirms active tuberculosis case, 130 people possibly exposedKOMO News More than 100 people associated with Rainier Beach High School are being tested for Tuberculosis (TB) after one person was diagnosed and is now getting treatment for the serious, airborne… Read more: Washington State: High School confirms active tuberculosis case, 130 people possibly exposed
- US catches case of New World screwworm. What can be done to stop its spread?The Hill Agricultural inspectors in Florida have stopped a case of the parasitic New World screwworm from entering the U.S., the state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced at the… Read more: US catches case of New World screwworm. What can be done to stop its spread?
- Nipah Virus in Focus: A Comprehensive Review of the Pathogenesis, Epidemiological Patterns, Diagnostic Advances, and Future Public Health StrategiesCureus Nipah virus (NiV) remains one of the most concerning emerging pathogens due to its repeated spillover events, high mortality, and the absence of licensed vaccines or treatments. Its recurrence… Read more: Nipah Virus in Focus: A Comprehensive Review of the Pathogenesis, Epidemiological Patterns, Diagnostic Advances, and Future Public Health Strategies
Read more Emerging Infectious Diseases
- ChatGPT Health performance in a structured test of triage recommendationsNature ChatGPT Health launched in January 2026 as OpenAI’s consumer health tool, reaching millions of users. Here, we conducted a structured stress test of triage recommendations using 60 clinician-authored vignettes across 21 clinical domains under… Read more: ChatGPT Health performance in a structured test of triage recommendations
- Real-world medical questions stump AI chatbotsScience News AI chatbots may seem medical–book smart but their grades falter when interacting with real people. In the lab, AI chatbots could identify medical issues with 95 percent accuracy and correctly recommend actions such as calling… Read more: Real-world medical questions stump AI chatbots
- Long-term brain effects of COVID-19 vs. flu: Study reveals key differencesMedical Express Even a mild case of COVID-19 or the flu can impact the body long after the fever and cough fade, according to new Tulane University research that may help explain why some people… Read more: Long-term brain effects of COVID-19 vs. flu: Study reveals key differences
- FDA reversal on mRNA-1010 could transform the seasonal influenza vaccines marketGlobal Data Moderna has announced that the FDA will initiate the review of its seasonal influenza vaccine candidate, mRNA-1010. This announcement comes one week after the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER)… Read more: FDA reversal on mRNA-1010 could transform the seasonal influenza vaccines market
- Poll: Americans trust vaccines, school mandatesReuters A bipartisan majority of Americans believe vaccines are safe and that children should receive them to attend school, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, illustrating the challenges President Donald Trump’s administration faces to… Read more: Poll: Americans trust vaccines, school mandates
- The science influencers going viral on TikTok to fight misinformationNature One of Simon Clark’s most popular TikTok videos begins with him playing the part of a clueless climate contrarian. Adopting the overconfident tone that is common among social-media influencers, he proclaims: “Renewables are a scam!” Cut to the real… Read more: The science influencers going viral on TikTok to fight misinformation
- Vaccine myths that won’t die and how to counter them—part 2CIDRAP We explored four key myths and why they don’t stand up to scrutiny: Today we’ll delve into five more that you also have likely encountered. The nine myths reflect those most frequently seen in my clinical practice and in… Read more: Vaccine myths that won’t die and how to counter them—part 2
- The United States Leaves the WHO. Three Reforms Could Motivate Its ReturnThink Global Health A former special advisor to the WHO director general outlines arenas that could strengthen global health regardless of a U.S. withdrawal. On Thursday, the required one-year notice period will pass since the United States declared its intention to leave the World… Read more: The United States Leaves the WHO. Three Reforms Could Motivate Its Return
- COVID-19 lockdowns in Nordic countries saved working-age men but not womenUC Berkeley Working-age men (15–64 years old) die more frequently than working-age women in nearly all societies that measure vital statistics. One reason for this disparity may be that men tend to behave in ways that are riskier. But during… Read more: COVID-19 lockdowns in Nordic countries saved working-age men but not women
Interesting and Sometimes Funny
- Why Strawberries Aren’t As Sweet Anymore
AOL News Have you ever tried making a strawberry dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth, only to end up with something disappointingly bland? It’s not you; it’s the strawberries. According to a 2021 study published in Horticulture Research (via Oxford Academic), participants said most strawberries they tasted weren’t sweet enough. This isn’t a case of underperforming strawberry… Read more: Why Strawberries Aren’t As Sweet Anymore