Timely and relevant global health security news curated by GCHS.
Note that some links may require registration or subscription.
Pneumonic Plague
UN News: ‘No plague case’ in Siberia, Russia tells WHO as assessments continue
Russian regulators told WHO on Tuesday that there was no evidence pneumonic plague played a part in her death and that no pathogens had been detected, agency chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. About 200 of her contacts have been placed in quarantine.
Friday, October 9
BBC: Why a global outbreak of pneumonic plague is unlikely
A Russian lab technician has died at a plague research centre in Siberia, but there are many reasons pneumonic plague is usually easily contained.
Friday, October 9
AP: UN health agency wants more details from Russia on suspected pneumonic plague case
A top official with the World Health Organization said Wednesday it doesn’t know how a lab worker in Siberia died, and she urged Russia to provide more information about a case that prompted global concerns about suspected pneumonic plague.
Friday, October 9
AP: How Russia and the world are responding to a possible case of pneumonic plague after lab worker dies
The head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday that Russian authorities have reported no case of plague in a Siberian region where a woman who worked at a laboratory that studies the disease died of pneumonia last week.
Wednesday, October 7
Ebola Virus
AP: Ebola creates new hot spots in Congo as responders describe ‘chaotic’ response
The Ebola outbreak in Congo is creating new hot spots where there’s little to no support for patients, responders and officials say, as health workers admit there could still be a long way to go in fighting the disease that has killed over 4,000 people.
Friday, October 9
AP: An Ebola treatment center was burned down as the death toll in Congo passes 4,000
Congo’s Ebola outbreak has killed more than 4,000 people, authorities said, as they struggle to contain what has become the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history.
Wednesday, October 7
U.S. News & World Report: Ebola Creates New Hot Spots in Congo as Responders Describe ‘Chaotic’ Response
The Ebola outbreak in Congo is creating new hot spots where there's little to no support for patients, responders and officials say, as health workers admit there could still be a long way to go in fighting the disease that has killed over 4,000 people.
Wednesday, October 7
BBC: Kenya confirms its first Ebola death as outbreak spreads
Kenya has confirmed its first ever case of Ebola – a Kenyan citizen who has been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo for the past seven years.
Wednesday, October 7
Measles
AP: Measles is surging in the US. These graphics show how bad it has gotten
The U.S. is enduring its worst year for measles since 1991. Since the beginning of last year, large outbreaks have been reported in several states, including Texas, Utah, South Carolina and, now, Pennsylvania.
Friday, October 9
AP: Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak is the largest in decades in the US
Pennsylvania has surpassed 1,000 measles cases this year, state health officials said Monday, making it the largest state outbreak in more than three decades.
Wednesday, October 7
FOX: New York declares measles disaster emergency as cases surge in Pennsylvania
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a statewide emergency on Monday over a measles outbreak spreading from Pennsylvania. It is the first time an emergency declaration has been issued since measles began surging in the U.S. in 2025.
Wednesday, October 7
CNN: Pennsylvania tallies a fifth death related to measles as outbreak approaches a thousand cases
The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported a fifth measles-associated death on Wednesday amid an ongoing outbreak that is on track to become the largest the US has seen in decades and has sparked political clashes.
Thursday, October 1
Dengue Fever
IDSE: What You Should Know About Dengue in Florida
The state of Florida has announced its first death from the tropical illness dengue in 2026. Cases this year are up to 250 locally acquired dengue infections, which is the highest outbreak in recent memory.
Wednesday, October 7
Reuters: Bangladesh considers dengue vaccine trials as outbreak worsens
Bangladesh is considering carrying out clinical trials of a vaccine against dengue fever after thousands of patients have been hospitalised with the disease and hundreds have died, a minister said on Tuesday.
Wednesday, October 7
WINK: Dengue fever outbreak spreads to 252 cases across Florida, including SWFL
A mosquito-borne virus has turned up over 200 localized cases of dengue fever in the Tampa area this year.
Wednesday, October 7
The Hill: Florida county declares state of emergency as dengue fever cases reach 170
Officials in Hillsborough County, Fla., have declared a local state of emergency as dengue fever cases reach a new high. According to the latest state data, Hillsborough County has 170 locally acquired dengue cases that have been reported since the outbreak began.
Monday, September 28
West Nile Virus
KY3: West Nile virus cases reach 20-year high, doctor shares prevention tips
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that West Nile virus peaked extra early this year. Case numbers have reached levels not seen in more than 20 years.
Wednesday, October 7
CBS: First West Nile Virus death of 2026 reported in DuPage County
DuPage County is reporting its first West Nile Virus-related death of 2026, and officials are asking residents to help limit the spread of the mosquito-borne disease.
Wednesday, October 7
FOX: California teen fighting for his life after contracting severe West Nile virus
Joseph Vazquez has spent the past three weeks at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles after contracting a rare and severe case of West Nile virus, a mosquito-borne illness.
Wednesday, October 7
Boston Globe: Public health officials report 3 new human cases of West Nile in Mass.
Three more people have tested positive for West Nile Virus, bringing the total to 11 human cases in Massachusetts.
Monday, September 28
H5N1
CIDRAP: H5N1 avian flu returns to Midwest poultry farms, with multiple turkey operations hit
After a quiet summer of little activity, H5N1 avian flu has come roaring back on commercial poultry operations across the United States in September, with turkey facilities in Minnesota and the Dakotas particularly hit in recent weeks.
Thursday, October 1
MPR News: An early surge confirms bird flu is back in Minnesota
Minnesota farmers have been fending off highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) every year since the USDA detected the ongoing outbreak in 2022.
Monday, September 28
Medical Daily: Three More Minnesota Poultry Flocks Test Positive for H5N1 as Fall Waterfowl Migration Brings Virus South
Minnesota animal health officials have confirmed highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza at three more commercial poultry operations, adding about 118,000 birds to the state's fall total during the weeks when ducks and geese begin moving south.
Monday, September 21
Mongabay: H5N1 bird flu jumps to marine mammals and wildlife in Australia
H5N1 avian influenza is spreading rapidly across southeastern Australia owing to infected wild bird species, including little penguins, magpies, crested terns and pelicans.
Monday, September 21
Mpox
Express Tribune: 11 deaths, 93 mpox cases reported in Sindh
Sindh has reported 93 confirmed cases of mpox so far this year, with 11 deaths attributed to the viral disease, according to the latest report of the Provincial Disease Surveillance and Response Unit's (PDSRU) laboratory surveillance network.
Wednesday, October 7
CBC: Toronto Public Health says mpox cases on the rise, urges vaccine for those eligible
Toronto public health officials say they are seeing a rise in mpox infections in the city and are urging eligible residents to get vaccinated.
Wednesday, October 7
Live Science: Mpox is still spreading in the US — here's what to know about vaccines, symptoms and treatment
Mpox continues to circulate in many countries, including the United States. Here's what to know about the infection and the vaccines that protect against it.
Wednesday, October 7
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.