Timely and relevant global health security news curated by GCHS
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Featured Headlines
- Bird flu in California child linked to virus in dairy cows, CDC saysWashington Post There is no evidence the youngster was exposed to livestock or any infected animals, deepening the mystery about the spread of H5N1 bird flu. Federal disease trackers reported Tuesday that the first child diagnosed with bird flu in an ongoing U.S. outbreak was infected with a virus strain moving rapidly through dairy cattle, even though there is… Read more: Bird flu in California child linked to virus in dairy cows, CDC says
- The state of H5N1 avian influenza riskWhy hasn’t the bird flu pandemic started?Science Some scientists examining mutations found in H5N1 viruses fear major outbreak is imminent but others say pathogen remains unpredictable If the world finds itself amid a flu pandemic in a few months, it won’t be a big surprise. Birds have been spreading a new clade of the H5N1 avian influenza virus, 2.3.4.4b, around the… Read more: The state of H5N1 avian influenza riskWhy hasn’t the bird flu pandemic started?
- California: Marin officials report possible bird flu case in childMarin Independent A child who visited Marin County during Thanksgiving week is being tested for a possible infection of H5N1, the bird flu. Marin’s public health officer, Dr. Lisa Santora, said the child tested positive for influenza type A, a category that includes bird flu. The child had been visiting from out of state for… Read more: California: Marin officials report possible bird flu case in child
- How worried should we be about Disease X?NPR They’re calling it Disease X. It’s a mysterious illness circulating in a remote part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Current figures: over 400 cases, including 31 deaths. International health authorities are monitoring. It all started on October 24 when the first patient fell ill with an unidentified sickness. Others soon followed, all in… Read more: How worried should we be about Disease X?
- Single mutation in H5N1 influenza surface protein could enable easier human infectionNIH NIH-funded study finds risk of human infection continues to remain low. A single modification in the protein found on the surface of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 influenza virus currently circulating in U.S. dairy cows could allow for easier transmission among humans, according to new research funded by the National Institutes of… Read more: Single mutation in H5N1 influenza surface protein could enable easier human infection
- Sierra Leone: Additional Information on Suspected Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Case in KonoSierraloaded In a public notice, the NPHA and the Ministry of Health (MOH) provided additional details following laboratory testing conducted by the 34 Military Hospital Infectious Disease Laboratory. According to the notice, the test results for the suspected case returned as indeterminate. The inconclusive outcome is attributed to the use of formalin for preserving the… Read more: Sierra Leone: Additional Information on Suspected Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Case in Kono
- Unknown flu-like disease kills at least 79 people in DR CongoBBC At least 79 people have died from an unknown disease that is causing flu-like symptoms in south-western Democratic Republic of Congo, the health ministry says. The health ministry says the majority of people who have died are between the ages of 15 and 18. More than 300 people have been infected with patients exhibiting… Read more: Unknown flu-like disease kills at least 79 people in DR Congo
- Health officials investigate mystery disease in southwest Congo after 143 deathsCNN A flu-like disease that has killed dozens of people over two weeks is being investigated in southwestern Congo, local authorities said. The deaths were recorded between Nov. 10 and Nov. 25 in the Panzi health zone of Kwango province. Symptoms include fever, headache, cough and anaemia, provincial health minister Apollinaire Yumba told reporters over the… Read more: Health officials investigate mystery disease in southwest Congo after 143 deaths
- Health officials investigate mystery disease in southwest Congo after 143 deaths
AP A flu-like disease that has killed dozens of people over two weeks is being investigated in southwestern Congo, local authorities said. The deaths were recorded between Nov. 10 and Nov. 25 in the Panzi health zone of Kwango province. Symptoms include fever, headache, cough and anaemia, provincial health minister Apollinaire Yumba told reporters over the… Read more: Health officials investigate mystery disease in southwest Congo after 143 deaths - The truth about raw milk and why experts are ‘absolutely horrified’ by the trendGuardian US officials recently detected bird flu in raw milk. Public health officials in California detected bird flu in a sample of raw milk this month. The virus first spread to dairy cattle in the US in March. The discovery comes amid an increasingly heated public debate about the merits and drawbacks of raw milk. Robert F Kennedy Jr,… Read more: The truth about raw milk and why experts are ‘absolutely horrified’ by the trend
- Experts say bird flu is more widespread than we think: ‘We are in a soup of virus’Independent Scientists are warning about the continued transmission of dangerous H5N1 bird flu, saying that the virus is more widespread than believed. “We are in a soup of virus. I mean, there’s virus everywhere around us at this point,” Dr. Marcela Uhart, a wildlife veterinarian with the University of Cal-Davis’ One Health Institute, told a symposium earlier this… Read more: Experts say bird flu is more widespread than we think: ‘We are in a soup of virus’
Updates on ongoing disease outbreaks
Unofficial HPAI H5N1 Outbreak Map
- Replication Restriction of Influenza A(H5N1) Clade 2.3.4.4b Viruses by Human Immune FactorCDC ABSTRACT We show that human myxovirus resistance protein 1 (MxA) suppresses replication of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses isolated from mammals in vitro and in MxA-transgenic mice. However, H5N1 can evade MxA restriction through replacement of individual viral polymerase complex components from a human-adapted MxA-resistant strain in vitro. Since 2022, clade 2.3.4.4b highly… Read more: Replication Restriction of Influenza A(H5N1) Clade 2.3.4.4b Viruses by Human Immune Factor
- Bird flu in California child linked to virus in dairy cows, CDC saysWashington Post There is no evidence the youngster was exposed to livestock or any infected animals, deepening the mystery about the spread of H5N1 bird flu. Federal disease trackers reported Tuesday that the first child diagnosed with bird flu in an ongoing U.S. outbreak was infected with a virus strain moving rapidly through dairy cattle, even though there is… Read more: Bird flu in California child linked to virus in dairy cows, CDC says
- The state of H5N1 avian influenza riskWhy hasn’t the bird flu pandemic started?Science Some scientists examining mutations found in H5N1 viruses fear major outbreak is imminent but others say pathogen remains unpredictable If the world finds itself amid a flu pandemic in a few months, it won’t be a big surprise. Birds have been spreading a new clade of the H5N1 avian influenza virus, 2.3.4.4b, around the… Read more: The state of H5N1 avian influenza riskWhy hasn’t the bird flu pandemic started?
- What Happened to the Canadian Teen Who Became Critically Ill With H5N1 Bird Flu?Medpage Today Public health investigation is closed, but officials haven’t provided patient updates. Canadian public health officials closed their investigation into the teenager who became critically ill with the H5N1 bird flu virus, with no source of infection identified. It’s not clear whether the teenager recovered or was released from the hospital. Andy Watson, director… Read more: What Happened to the Canadian Teen Who Became Critically Ill With H5N1 Bird Flu?
- Sick animals suggest COVID pandemic started in Wuhan marketNature A preliminary analysis takes a closer look at genomic data collected at the market. The quest to understand where the COVID-19 pandemic started has revealed fresh clues. Researchers have re-analysed data collected from a market in Wuhan, China, during the early days of the pandemic… Read more: Sick animals suggest COVID pandemic started in Wuhan market
- Are flu and COVID high now? Here’s how the season has startedCBS News This year’s winter surge of influenza and COVID-19 has yet to arrive for most of the country, data published this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows, with trends so far a fraction of what they were at this time last year. “COVID-19 activity remains… Read more: Are flu and COVID high now? Here’s how the season has started
- Cognitive deficits after COVID-19 associated with brain injury biomarkers and volume lossNature A prospective, multicenter study of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 demonstrates objective global cognitive impairment after 12–18 months of follow-up, especially in those who had experienced encephalopathy. The cognitive impairment was associated with increased levels of serum brain injury biomarkers and a reduction in regional brain… Read more: Cognitive deficits after COVID-19 associated with brain injury biomarkers and volume loss
- Study: Covid infections linked to cancer regressionWGN Chicago VIDEO A new study led by researchers at the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute and published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation has revealed a connection between COVID-19 infection and cancer regression. Dr. Ankit Bharat is the Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Northwestern Medicine joined the… Read more: Study: Covid infections linked to cancer regression
- Long Fatigue: The exhaustion that lingers after an infectionBBC Before Long Covid there was post-viral fatigue – a mysterious set of illnesses caused by other infections. Now scientists are starting to unravel their secrets. Since an acute infection with Covid-19 in the summer of 2023, Rachael Edwards has been battling a fatigue so crippling… Read more: Long Fatigue: The exhaustion that lingers after an infection
- Congo’s mpox crisisScience For the second time in 2 years, a long-overlooked virus poses a global threat. Can it be contained? In late September 2023, a 33-year-old man who co-owned a bar in Kamituga, a remote… Read more: Congo’s mpox crisis
- UK: Confirmed cases of mpox clade Ibgov.uk This release has been published in response to confirmed cases of clade Ib mpox in the UK. Whilst numbers remain low updates will be released on an ad-hoc basis. As of 29 November… Read more: UK: Confirmed cases of mpox clade Ib
- Canada Confirms First Case of New Mpox VariantBloomberg Canada confirmed its first case of a dangerous new mpox variant but said the risk to the general population remains low. The first case of clade I mpox was found in an individual… Read more: Canada Confirms First Case of New Mpox Variant
- Florida has more than 100 mpox cases. Now, a more severe form has been reported in U.S.Miami Herald The United States has reported its first confirmed case of the more contagious form of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week issued a… Read more: Florida has more than 100 mpox cases. Now, a more severe form has been reported in U.S.
- First Case of Clade I Mpox Diagnosed in the United StatesCDC The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to provide information about the first case of clade I mpox diagnosed in the United States… Read more: First Case of Clade I Mpox Diagnosed in the United States
- First U.S. Case of Spreading New Mpox Type Reported in CaliforniaNYT The unidentified patient had recently returned from Africa, where the virus has caused a deadly epidemic, health officials said. A person in California has tested positive for a form of mpox causing a… Read more: First U.S. Case of Spreading New Mpox Type Reported in California
Emerging Infectious Disease Headlines
- Sierra Leone: Additional Information on Suspected Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Case in KonoSierraloaded In a public notice, the NPHA and the Ministry of Health (MOH) provided additional details following laboratory testing conducted by the 34 Military Hospital Infectious Disease Laboratory. According to… Read more: Sierra Leone: Additional Information on Suspected Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Case in Kono
- Unknown flu-like disease kills at least 79 people in DR CongoBBC At least 79 people have died from an unknown disease that is causing flu-like symptoms in south-western Democratic Republic of Congo, the health ministry says. The health ministry says… Read more: Unknown flu-like disease kills at least 79 people in DR Congo
- Colorado sees rise in walking pneumonia, particularly among very young childrenDenver Post Colorado has experienced a surge in walking pneumonia this fall, most notably among very young children who aren’t usually as susceptible to the illness, according to health officials.… Read more: Colorado sees rise in walking pneumonia, particularly among very young children
- Health officials investigate mystery disease in southwest Congo after 143 deathsCNN A flu-like disease that has killed dozens of people over two weeks is being investigated in southwestern Congo, local authorities said. The deaths were recorded between Nov. 10 and Nov.… Read more: Health officials investigate mystery disease in southwest Congo after 143 deaths
- Health officials investigate mystery disease in southwest Congo after 143 deathsAP A flu-like disease that has killed dozens of people over two weeks is being investigated in southwestern Congo, local authorities said. The deaths were recorded between Nov. 10 and Nov.… Read more: Health officials investigate mystery disease in southwest Congo after 143 deaths
- It’s a virus you may not have heard of. Here’s why scientists are worried about itNPR A little-known virus is getting a lot of attention this year. It’s called Oropouche, and it’s been making headlines because of a notable increase in diagnoses. So far in… Read more: It’s a virus you may not have heard of. Here’s why scientists are worried about it
Read more Emerging Infectious Diseases
- Biological Mechanisms Underlying Severe COVID-19Technology Networks Immunology and Microbiology Severe COVID-19 arises in part from the SARS-CoV-2 virus’s impact on mitochondria, tiny oxygen-burning power plants in cells, which can help trigger a cascade of organ- and immune system-damaging events,… Read more: Biological Mechanisms Underlying Severe COVID-19
- Five years after the first covid-19 cases, there are lessons to learnNew Scientist It is now five years since clinicians in Wuhan, China, first encountered covid-19 cases in December 2019. Hindsight makes it even clearer how the battle against the disease wasn’t just a fight against… Read more: Five years after the first covid-19 cases, there are lessons to learn
- Searching for high pathogenicity avian influenza virus in AntarcticaNature The current panzootic spread of high pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) subtype H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b has caused unprecedented mortality in wild animals worldwide1. In 2022, the virus caused mass mortality of seabirds and marine… Read more: Searching for high pathogenicity avian influenza virus in Antarctica
- Study: Covid infections linked to cancer regressionWGN Chicago VIDEO A new study led by researchers at the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute and published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation has revealed a connection between COVID-19 infection and cancer regression. Dr. Ankit Bharat… Read more: Study: Covid infections linked to cancer regression
- One in 20 Adults With RSV Hospitalized, Study ShowsMedPageToday Among adults with outpatient respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections across six RSV seasons, roughly one in 20 were hospitalized within 28 days, according to a large cohort study that used data from three health… Read more: One in 20 Adults With RSV Hospitalized, Study Shows
- Infection Aftershock: COVID-19’s Long-Term Impact on Your HeartSci Tech Daily New research indicates that people who contracted COVID-19 early in the pandemic faced a significantly elevated risk of heart attack, stroke, and death for up to three years post-infection. Long-Term Cardiovascular Risks Linked to… Read more: Infection Aftershock: COVID-19’s Long-Term Impact on Your Heart
- Americans are not getting seasonal vaccines ahead of the holidaysWashington Post Experts worry that the unenthusiastic embrace of vaccines could spark outbreaks and increased hospitalizations. As the holiday season approaches, public health experts are sounding the alarm about low vaccination rates against the coronavirus,… Read more: Americans are not getting seasonal vaccines ahead of the holidays
- 60% of Americans say they probably won’t get an updated COVID-19 vaccinePew Research Center Six-in-ten Americans say they will probably not get an updated 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine, according to an October Pew Research Center survey. Smaller shares say they probably will get an updated vaccine (24%) or… Read more: 60% of Americans say they probably won’t get an updated COVID-19 vaccine
- The stunning success of vaccines in America, in one chartVox America, before and after vaccines. Measles, mumps, and polio are supposed to be diseases of the past. In the early to mid-20th century, scientists developed vaccines that effectively eliminated the risk of anyone getting sick… Read more: The stunning success of vaccines in America, in one chart
- Misinformation Will Get (Much) WorseForbes Coming off the pandemic, a whole swath of American society has de-credentialed the medical profession. And there is no easy pathway back to a place where physicians and other healthcare professionals are fully trusted for their knowledge and, more… Read more: Misinformation Will Get (Much) Worse
- Social histories of public health misinformation and infodemics: case studies of four pandemicsThe Lancet Recognition of misinformation as a public health threat and interest in infodemics, defined as an inundation of information accompanying an epidemic or acute health event, have increased worldwide. However, scientists have no consensus on how to best define… Read more: Social histories of public health misinformation and infodemics: case studies of four pandemics
- Growing gulf in US life expectancy deepened by COVID-19 pandemicMedical News.Net In a recent study published in The Lancet, researchers updated their analysis from the original Eight Americas study to reflect current life expectancy disparities in the United States. What is the Eight Americas study? The Eight Americas study was… Read more: Growing gulf in US life expectancy deepened by COVID-19 pandemic
- As the Pandemic Deepened, Americans Kept Drinking MoreNYT Excessive drinking persisted in the years after Covid arrived, according to new data. Americans started drinking more as the Covid-19 pandemic got underway. They were stressed, isolated, uncertain — the world as they had known it had changed overnight.… Read more: As the Pandemic Deepened, Americans Kept Drinking More