Timely and relevant global health security news curated by GCHS.
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Ebola Virus
Medical Xpress: Nigeria Ebola case matches DR Congo strain
The Ebola case detected in Nigeria is the Bundibugyo strain behind a major DR Congo outbreak, officials said Wednesday, marking the spread of the deadly disease to points across Africa.
Thursday, October 22
CNN: Ebola has spread from Congo to 4 other countries. A look at where things stand
Ebola disease from the fast-moving outbreak in Congo has now spread to four other countries, including two where it’s active. It has spread farther across Africa than any previous Ebola outbreak, reaching three regions.
Thursday, October 22
NPR: Nigeria confirms an Ebola case in Abuja as a woman arriving from Uganda tests positive
Nigeria confirmed an Ebola case in its capital, Abuja, on Tuesday after a woman who arrived from Uganda tested positive for the virus, the Health Ministry said.
Thursday, October 22
Measles
The Hill: Pennsylvania warns of congenital measles risk as cases rise
Pennsylvania officials warned doctors this week about an increase in congenital measles as the state continues to battle the worst outbreak in the disease it has seen in decades.
Thursday, October 22
CNN: One US measles outbreak is proving particularly deadly. Here’s why
An ongoing measles outbreak in Pennsylvania has quickly become the largest and deadliest in the United States in more than 30 years. Historical data suggests that 1 to 3 people will die out of every 1,000 unvaccinated people who contract measles. But Pennsylvania has reported five measles-associated deaths — with a sixth under review — out of about 1,300 total reported cases since the start of the outbreak in April.
Thursday, October 22
CIDRAP: New CDC report details deadly toll of delayed measles complication in kids
Measles is sometimes dismissed as an unserious disease or ‘just a rash.’ But the highly contagious virus can cause serious illness not just during initial infection but years later, after patients appear to have made a full recovery.
Friday, October 16
Dengue Fever
Orlando Sentinel: Dengue fever found in Seminole County, residents advised to take precautions
A person in Seminole County is the latest in Central Florida to have contracted dengue fever, according to health officials who are urging Central Florida residents to take precautions against mosquito-borne illnesses.
Thursday, October 22
Tampa Bay Times: Inside the fight against mosquitoes spreading dengue fever in Florida
For the first time in decades, Tampa Bay is seeing outbreaks of dengue fever. Officials are working overtime to beat it back.
Thursday, October 22
WINK: Florida dengue cases hit 368 as Pinellas County becomes new hotspot
Dengue fever cases are rising in Florida, with a new hotspot emerging in Pinellas County. The Florida Department of Health reports a total of 368 cases of locally-acquired dengue this year across seven counties as of Thursday. The majority are in Hillsborough County, but the latest data shows Pinellas County is becoming a new area of concern.
Friday, October 16
West Nile Virus
ITIJ: Record West Nile virus infections raise travel risk across Europe
With cases emerging in Belgium and the Netherlands, West Nile virus is spreading north, putting destination risk monitoring and traveler protection in sharper focus
Thursday, October 22
Orange County Register: Deaths mount as West Nile virus hotspots emerge in LA, Orange counties
More people are contracting mosquito-borne West Nile virus and dying in Los Angeles and Orange counties than anywhere else in California, pushing state levels to a five-year high.
Thursday, October 22
Contagion: FAQ-What You Need to Know About West Nile Virus in 2026
After 2 adults died of West Nile virus in central North Carolina this month, this FAQ explains how the mosquito-borne virus spreads, who faces the greatest risk of severe neuroinvasive disease, and how clinicians can diagnose, manage, and help prevent infection when no vaccine or antiviral treatment exists.
Friday, October 16
H5N1
India Today: H5N1 bird flu confirmed in Chennai: Vandalur Zoo shut, sanitisation underway
Chennai's Arignar Anna Zoological Park, popularly known as Vandalur Zoo, will remain closed to visitors on October 22 and 23 after the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, was detected in water birds at the facility.
Thursday, October 22
The Telegraph: US records first human case of H5N1 this year
A man in Washington has tested positive for H5N1, marking the first human case of bird flu in the US this year. The patient, who works on a dairy farm, was reportedly infected after being exposed to two infected cows.
Thursday, October 22
CIDRAP: In Greenland, 4 polar bears test positive for H5N1 avian flu antibodies
Scientists detected antibodies against the H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in four polar bears in East Greenland in 2025, consistent with previous identification of the virus in birds along linked migratory pathways.
Friday, October 16
Mpox
Las Vegas Review Journal: Health District reports 1st clade I mpox case in Clark County resident
The first confirmed case of clade I mpox has been diagnosed in a Clark County resident, the Southern Nevada Health District said Tuesday in a release.
Thursday, October 22
Outbreak News Today: Russia- 4 confirmed mpox cases reported in St. Petersburg
Four St. Petersburg residents have been hospitalized with mpox, or formerly monkeypox, according to Russian media. The patients were taken to the city hospital. Doctors assess their condition as moderate.
Thursday, October 22
Taipei Times: Mpox cases hit two-year high, CDC data show
As of Monday, 18 new cases of mpox had been reported this month, topping the highest monthly number in two years, with local cases having been reported weekly for seven consecutive weeks, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said on Tuesday.
Thursday, October 22
Cholera
Yemen Online: Cholera Crisis Deepens in Yemen as Disease Outbreaks Threaten Displaced Communities
Yemen's worsening cholera outbreak is casting a heavy shadow over the living conditions of hundreds of thousands of displaced people, as health authorities and humanitarian organizations warn of a rapid surge in suspected infections across the country.
Thursday, October 22
WHO: Cholera cases surge as conflict in Yemen displaces over 200,000 people
Escalating conflict and mass displacement in Yemen are increasing the risk of infectious disease outbreaks as overcrowding, inadequate access to safe water and disrupted health services expose growing numbers of people to cholera, measles and other preventable diseases.
Friday, October 16
UN News: DR Congo-Cholera cases spike amid fight against Ebola
The cholera epidemic continues to spread in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where more than 125,000 suspected cases and 3,644 suspected deaths were recorded between January 2025 and the end of September 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Wednesday.
Friday, October 16
Additional News
GCHS Resources
Region 7 Infectious Disease Briefings
The GCHS in collaboration with the Region VII Disaster Health Response Ecosystem (R7DHRE) conducts biweekly meetings with local and state public health and healthcare representatives. These meetings focus on reviewing and discussing recent developments related to current infectious disease challenges. James V. Lawler, MD, MPH, FIDSA, presents comprehensive updates on data and advancements at local, state, national, and international levels. Additionally, regional experts offer insights into current outbreaks and clinical situations within Region 7.
To learn more and register for the briefings, visit our Health Emergencies page.