Timely and relevant global health security news curated by GCHS
Note that some links may require registration or subscription.
Featured Headlines
Ebola Outbreak in the DRC and Uganda
Hantavirus Latest Updates
- Ontario resident being tested for Ebola after travel to East Africa, says Health MinistryCBC East Africa is currently dealing with a deadly and fast-growing Ebola outbreak. An Ontario resident who recently travelled to East Africa is being tested for Ebola, according to the province’s Health Ministry. In an email to CBC News Wednesday, a spokesperson for Ontario’s Ministry of Health said that the patient is being assessed in… Read more: Ontario resident being tested for Ebola after travel to East Africa, says Health Ministry
- Visualizing the Ebola outbreak in maps and charts
CNN The World Health Organization this week declared an outbreak of Ebola in Central Africa to be a public health emergency. Health officials are racing to trace contacts as the count of suspected cases rises. CNN is tracking the locations of confirmed cases in the outbreak, as well as historical cases and deaths. This page will be… Read more: Visualizing the Ebola outbreak in maps and charts - A rare Ebola strain is spreading with no vaccine. Here’s what you need to knowNPR The number of Ebola cases has been growing – and growing by a lot — each day since the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency on Saturday. The latest toll? More than 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected-Ebola deaths. The vast majority of the cases are in a province in northeastern Democratic… Read more: A rare Ebola strain is spreading with no vaccine. Here’s what you need to know
- Ebola Outbreak in Central Africa Could Last Months, W.H.O. Says
NYT Health officials reported more than 130 suspected deaths and 540 cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, but experts say the figures could be much higher. Medical workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo are experiencing a shortage of supplies as the number of suspected Ebola cases has passed 500, according to… Read more: Ebola Outbreak in Central Africa Could Last Months, W.H.O. Says - New Ebola outbreak hits DRC and Uganda: What you need to know
Care Families in the eastern DRC and Uganda are facing a new Ebola outbreak alongside conflict, displacement, hunger, and fragile health systems. CARE and local partners are supporting preparedness efforts, with a focus on sharing trusted information, supporting infection prevention, and addressing the heightened risks facing women and girls. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)… Read more: New Ebola outbreak hits DRC and Uganda: What you need to know - A rare Ebola strain is spreading. Here’s why it’s so hard to contain
National Geographic As Ebola cases mount in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, experts explain what causes the disease—and the risk this outbreak poses to the rest of the world. The World Health Organization has declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern following an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and in… Read more: A rare Ebola strain is spreading. Here’s why it’s so hard to contain - This U.S. doctor went to Congo to heal others. Then Ebola hit his hospital.Washington Post An American missionary doctor who contracted Ebola may have gotten infected while performing surgery on a patient. Peter Stafford, a man of deep Christian faith, had been working as the only surgeon at a hospital serving a remote area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo when he began feeling sick Saturday. The… Read more: This U.S. doctor went to Congo to heal others. Then Ebola hit his hospital.
- Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship docks in the Netherlands for disinfection
PBS News The cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak has docked at the Dutch port of Rotterdam for disinfection, wrapping up a troubled journey that put international health authorities on alert. The MV Hondius was still carrying 25 crew members and two medical personnel as it reached Europe’s largest port on Monday morning,… Read more: Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship docks in the Netherlands for disinfection - Inside the race to develop a hantavirus PCR testScientific American Researchers at the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory worked round the clock to develop a test for the Andes virus at the center of the deadly cruise ship outbreak. The ongoing hantavirus outbreak carries disturbing echoes of the early days of COVID: people falling ill on a cruise ship from a relatively unknown pathogen,… Read more: Inside the race to develop a hantavirus PCR test
- Argentines hunting for source of hantavirus outbreak trap rats in southernmost cityAssociated Press Argentine investigators searching for the source of a deadly hantavirus outbreak on a cruise last month were trapping rodents in the forests surrounding the southernmost city of Ushuaia on Tuesday, with the aim of detecting the possible presence of the rat-borne virus in an area previously thought unaffected. The scientists, wearing bright blue gloves and surgical masks,… Read more: Argentines hunting for source of hantavirus outbreak trap rats in southernmost city
- How Wet Weather in Argentina Helped Fuel the Cruise Ship Hantavirus OutbreakWired Climate change is contributing to the conditions driving a rodent boom—dubbed a ratada—in Argentina. The hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship has created a global public health crisis. But the driver of it is a rodent that weighs about an ounce, and climate shifts this year that have helped increase the odds of transmission. Across the… Read more: How Wet Weather in Argentina Helped Fuel the Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak
- Andes Hantavirus Outbreak on a Cruise Ship, 2026NEJM On April 27, 2026, a man (later classified as Patient 3 in the outbreak) was medically evacuated to Ascension Island from the Dutch-flagged expedition cruise ship MV Hondius; he had severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) and reported shortness of breath and fever that had begun on April 21. He had signs of pneumonia, although findings… Read more: Andes Hantavirus Outbreak on a Cruise Ship, 2026
- CDC Chief Orders 2 Americans to Quarantine Over Hantavirus ConcernMedPageToday Agency cites outbreak-related cases in Europe after passengers departed cruise ship. The CDC’s temporary leader ordered two Americans to quarantine at a Nebraska hospital following their high-risk hantavirus exposures on an outbreak-hit cruise ship. Eighteen recently repatriated U.S. passengers from the MV Hondius have been requested to stay at the quarantine facility, the agency said in… Read more: CDC Chief Orders 2 Americans to Quarantine Over Hantavirus Concern
- The hantavirus outbreak is a tragedy—and a valuable data source
The Economist Uncovering how a virus spreads among a population involves some tricky detective work. The schedules of all those infected have to be carefully examined in the days or weeks around the time they fell ill, in order to work out who infected whom—and, most important, where and how. The more isolated the population, the… Read more: The hantavirus outbreak is a tragedy—and a valuable data source - Colorado Reports Its First Hantavirus Death Since 2024Gizmodo Colorado officials are asking residents to be mindful of hantavirus infections from the local Sin Nombre strain during spring cleaning. Colorado authorities have logged their first confirmed death from hantavirus since 2024, according to a statement on Monday from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Officials noted that this new hantavirus case… Read more: Colorado Reports Its First Hantavirus Death Since 2024
Updates on ongoing disease outbreaks
- Norway reports Europe’s first case of bird flu in a polar bearThe Local The H5N5 variant of the virus was detected in samples taken from a male bear about one year old and a walrus found dead in mid-May on the icy archipelago, around 1,000 km (600 miles) from the North Pole, the Norwegian Veterinary Institute said. “The results are part of a trend in which… Read more: Norway reports Europe’s first case of bird flu in a polar bear
- AVMA: CDC confirms cat-to-human transmission of avian influenzaAVMA A public health investigation documented the transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI, more specifically avian influenza type A H5N1) from a domestic cat to a human, but health officials maintain that the risk remains low. Last spring, investigators with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) and Centers for Disease… Read more: AVMA: CDC confirms cat-to-human transmission of avian influenza
- UK Leads Global Bird Flu Vaccine TrialMedScape The UK is recruiting 3000 of the 4000 volunteers needed for a major international trial of an mRNA vaccine against bird flu, as experts warn that H5N1 remains a credible pandemic threat. H5 influenza, or avian/bird flu, remains a pandemic threat, experts said. The virus has been circulating in wild birds — and domestic poultry —… Read more: UK Leads Global Bird Flu Vaccine Trial
- How an H5N1 Outbreak in Elephant Seals Can Inform Pandemic ReadinessThe Scientist Regular surveillance and rapid sequencing in coastal wildlife help researchers identify viral mutations and assess their pandemic potential. The first sign that something was wrong came during a survey walk in Año Nuevo State Park, a stretch of beach along the central coast of California. In January 2026, researchers at the University of… Read more: How an H5N1 Outbreak in Elephant Seals Can Inform Pandemic Readiness
- Surge in HPAI infections attributed to wild-bird spilloverAVMA Poultry losses alone surpass 200 million since outbreak started in 2022. The U.S. outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI, more specifically avian influenza type A H5N1), is experiencing a resurgence among commercial poultry operations, driven largely by spillover from migrating wild birds, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The threat of infection… Read more: Surge in HPAI infections attributed to wild-bird spillover
- Dairy Farms May Transmit H5N1 Virus Through Multiple SourcesMorning Ag Study suggests transmission is not limited to direct contact with contaminated milk. The H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in over 700 herds of dairy cows in California, the largest dairy-producing state in the U.S. A study published May 5th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology led by Seema S. Lakdawala… Read more: Dairy Farms May Transmit H5N1 Virus Through Multiple Sources
- New research chips away at COVID-19 blood clot mysterCIDRAP Doctors and scientists are still working to understand why COVID-19 can cause fatal damage to so many different organs. A potentially major piece of that puzzle was revealed today in research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitalized patients who weren’t… Read more: New research chips away at COVID-19 blood clot myster
- What happened to Covid?STAT The threat of the virus has clearly subsided, but opinions vary on why and how much of a risk remains. In April 2020, people around the globe were struggling to come to grips with the strictures of unprecedented societal shutdowns aimed at slowing the spread… Read more: What happened to Covid?
INFLUENZA
- CDC: Concurrent Detection of Swine-Origin Influenza A(H1N1) Virus in Pigs and Farmer, SwitzerlandCDC Since the 2009 swine influenza pandemic, sporadic human infections with swine influenza A viruses (swIAVs) continue to occur, including rare instances of onward human-to-human transmission, highlighting the ongoing pandemic risk (1–4). Pigs are key reservoirs and mixing vessels for influenza A virus (IAV) evolution; transmission between humans and pigs is frequent and bidirectional (5,6).… Read more: CDC: Concurrent Detection of Swine-Origin Influenza A(H1N1) Virus in Pigs and Farmer, Switzerland
- Influenza at the human-animal interface summary and assessment, 31 March 2026WHO From 23 January to 31 March 2026, based on reporting date, detections of influenza A(H5N1) in four humans, influenza A(H9N2) in five humans, influenza A(H10N3) in one human, an influenza A(H1N1) variant ((H1N1)v) virus in one human, an influenza A(H1N2)v virus in one human, and influenza A(H3N2)v virus in one human were reported officially.… Read more: Influenza at the human-animal interface summary and assessment, 31 March 2026
- Cancer drug protein target may also help fight influenzaMedical Express A protein already targeted by FDA-approved cancer drugs may also help the body fight influenza, according to new research from The Jackson Laboratory (JAX). Published in Cell Reports, the study found that Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PD-L1), a protein best known for helping tumors evade immune attack, instead helped immunocompromised mice clear flu-infected lung cells… Read more: Cancer drug protein target may also help fight influenza
- DOH detected Mpox in Oahu wastewater sampleHawaii News Now State health officials say mpox has been detected in a wastewater sample on Oahu for the first time. The Hawaii Department of Health said the sample, collected April 13 at a… Read more: DOH detected Mpox in Oahu wastewater sample
- Pasadena urges mpox precautions as cases rise for the viral diseasePasadena Star News The Pasadena Public Health Department on Wednesday, April 29, urged residents to take precautions against mpox and consider vaccination as cases increase in California. Health officials said vaccination remains the best… Read more: Pasadena urges mpox precautions as cases rise for the viral disease
- Why a deadly, massive measles outbreak in Bangladesh has some U.S. health experts concernedCBS News A measles outbreak in Bangladesh that has killed almost 400 people is spreading fast, and health experts say it could carry risks even for the U.S., where cases of the disease are already at levels not seen in decades as vaccination rates continue to fall. Most of those killed by the measles outbreak in Bangladesh… Read more: Why a deadly, massive measles outbreak in Bangladesh has some U.S. health experts concerned
- Inside the largest U.S. measles outbreak in decades: Records reveal spread in vaccine-hesitant communityHealthbeat Case #1 in what would become the largest U.S. measles outbreak in decades was a parent in South Carolina’s Upstate Region near Spartanburg. The next seven people to fall ill were all children. Three of them were being cared for at home – limiting their ability to spread the highly contagious measles virus to… Read more: Inside the largest U.S. measles outbreak in decades: Records reveal spread in vaccine-hesitant community
- Will the USA lose its measles elimination status?The Lancet The USA currently faces its largest measles outbreak in decades, with 2280 confirmed cases in 2025 and 910 additional cases reported in just the first 6 weeks of 2026.1 This re-emergence threatens one of the country’s major public health achievements: the elimination of measles in 2000, a feat reached after several years of extensive… Read more: Will the USA lose its measles elimination status?
- CDC warns additional measles cases in US are expected amid upcoming travel seasonABC News With a busy travel season approaching, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning that additional measles cases in the U.S. can be expected over the next few months. The agency sent the alert to state and local health departments, reminding them to report measles cases to the CDC within 24 hours and to… Read more: CDC warns additional measles cases in US are expected amid upcoming travel season
Emerging Infectious Disease Headlines
- Iraq: First case of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever reported in NinevehOutbreak News Today The Nineveh provincial health directorate reported the first case of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) this year. The patient is a 27-year-old laborer from Qayyarah district south of… Read more: Iraq: First case of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever reported in Nineveh
- Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship docks in the Netherlands for disinfection
PBS News The cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak has docked at the Dutch port of Rotterdam for disinfection, wrapping up a troubled journey that put international health… Read more: Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship docks in the Netherlands for disinfection - Inside the race to develop a hantavirus PCR testScientific American Researchers at the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory worked round the clock to develop a test for the Andes virus at the center of the deadly cruise ship outbreak.… Read more: Inside the race to develop a hantavirus PCR test
- Argentines hunting for source of hantavirus outbreak trap rats in southernmost cityAssociated Press Argentine investigators searching for the source of a deadly hantavirus outbreak on a cruise last month were trapping rodents in the forests surrounding the southernmost city of Ushuaia on Tuesday, with the… Read more: Argentines hunting for source of hantavirus outbreak trap rats in southernmost city
- How Wet Weather in Argentina Helped Fuel the Cruise Ship Hantavirus OutbreakWired Climate change is contributing to the conditions driving a rodent boom—dubbed a ratada—in Argentina. The hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship has created a global public health crisis. But the driver… Read more: How Wet Weather in Argentina Helped Fuel the Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak
- Andes Hantavirus Outbreak on a Cruise Ship, 2026NEJM On April 27, 2026, a man (later classified as Patient 3 in the outbreak) was medically evacuated to Ascension Island from the Dutch-flagged expedition cruise ship MV Hondius; he had… Read more: Andes Hantavirus Outbreak on a Cruise Ship, 2026
Read more Emerging Infectious Diseases
- Inside the race to develop a hantavirus PCR testScientific American Researchers at the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory worked round the clock to develop a test for the Andes virus at the center of the deadly cruise ship outbreak. The ongoing hantavirus outbreak carries… Read more: Inside the race to develop a hantavirus PCR test
- Live Science: Hantavirus outbreaks could become more likely as virus-carrying rodents expand their range, model finds
Live Science New models chart how virus-carrying rodents may spread across Argentina as climate change reshapes weather patterns. New models chart how virus-carrying rodents may spread across Argentina as climate change reshapes weather patterns. Climate… Read more: Live Science: Hantavirus outbreaks could become more likely as virus-carrying rodents expand their range, model finds
- 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
- CDC delay of infant hepatitis B shot likely to raise infections, studies showWashington Post Federal vaccine advisers to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. voted in December to recommend delaying the first shot until at least two months of age for infants born to mothers who… Read more: CDC delay of infant hepatitis B shot likely to raise infections, studies show
- US Faces $7.8 Billion Measles Risk as Vaccination Rates Decline, Study FindsBloomberg A sustained drop in childhood vaccinations could cost the US about $7.8 billion in measles outbreaks over five years, a new study found. The warning comes as vaccine policy and public confidence face fresh pressure… Read more: US Faces $7.8 Billion Measles Risk as Vaccination Rates Decline, Study Finds
- The hantavirus outbreak is prompting Covid flashbacks — including the conspiraciesSTAT Ironically, the public health establishment and the conspiracists seem to agree on the big picture. The deadly outbreak of a rare strain of hantavirus on a cruise has generated echoes of the pandemic era, including a reprise of a familiar drumbeat… Read more: The hantavirus outbreak is prompting Covid flashbacks — including the conspiracies
- MedPage Today: Hantavirus, Ivermectin, and the Dangers of the InternetMedPage Today Clear communication with patients can help drown out misinformation. Back in March 2020, I did an interview with a CBS affiliate in Denver. While I was asked several questions about COVID-19 and pandemics in general, the interview was very short. To this… Read more: MedPage Today: Hantavirus, Ivermectin, and the Dangers of the Internet
- Psychology Today: Why the Hantavirus Outbreak Feels DifferentPsychology Today Public health’s hardest job is explaining what we don’t know. The global hantavirus outbreak highlights one of the hardest tasks in public health: communicating uncertainty without creating either panic or false reassurance. That challenge becomes especially difficult during outbreaks caused… Read more: Psychology Today: Why the Hantavirus Outbreak Feels Different
- New Zealand Covid response among world’s best but ‘scars’ remain, inquiry findsThe Guardian Royal commission says response led by Jacinda Ardern was broadly ‘appropriate’, in a wide-ranging report featuring recommendations for future pandemics. A royal commission into New Zealand’s Covid response has found it was one of the best in the… Read more: New Zealand Covid response among world’s best but ‘scars’ remain, inquiry finds
Interesting and Sometimes Funny
- Lettuce introduce you to the live frog found in this grocery store salad bag
AP When Australian farmer Rhys Smoker announced he’d found a live frog in a bag of lettuce, his housemates didn’t believe him. Smoker had been preparing a steak and salad dinner on Saturday for the three people who share his house in Esperance in Western Australia state when he spotted the frog among the leaves… Read more: Lettuce introduce you to the live frog found in this grocery store salad bag