Timely and relevant global health security news curated by GCHS
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Featured Headlines
- Measles cases hit six-year high in South Korea amid outbreaks across south-east AsiaThe Guardian South Korea passes annual tally for 2024 already, as Vietnam and Thailand continue to battle outbreaks. South Korea has recorded the highest number of measles cases in six years, adding to concerns that low vaccination rates combined with international travel are contributing to further outbreaks elsewhere in the region. The country has confirmed 52 cases so far this… Read more: Measles cases hit six-year high in South Korea amid outbreaks across south-east Asia
- States loosen vaccine rules — even as measles outbreak ragesPolitico With a longtime vaccine skeptic serving as the country’s top health official, the movement is likely to make further inroads. The U.S. is on track to surpass 1,000 measles cases this year as the viral illness — once so rare that most young doctors don’t recognize the telltale rash — makes an alarming comeback.… Read more: States loosen vaccine rules — even as measles outbreak rages
- RFK Jr. Hits NIH With More Layoffs, Plans to Bring Others BackBloomberg The National of Institutes of Health laid off another 200 employees as part of the health department’s large-scale reduction-in-force carried out last month, with plans to bring back a similar number of employees for other areas. The agency on May 2 sent notices to “less than 250 employees” that they were affected by the… Read more: RFK Jr. Hits NIH With More Layoffs, Plans to Bring Others Back
- H5N1 Bird Flu Cases Have Slowed in Animals and PeopleMedpage Today Detections of H5N1 avian influenza have slowed in both animals and humans, but continued surveillance is warranted, CDC researchers said. In dairy cattle, cases surged over the fall and early winter but eased in January, while cases in poultry flocks fell after February, and came down last month in backyard flocks, according to data… Read more: H5N1 Bird Flu Cases Have Slowed in Animals and People
- Texas measles total tops 700 cases amid rises in other statesCIDRAP The Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) today reported 19 more cases since its last update on May 2, lifting the state’s total to 702 cases. As the country’s biggest measles hot spot, the state has reported outbreak-linked cases from 29 counties, mainly in west Texas. So far 91 people have been hospitalized,… Read more: Texas measles total tops 700 cases amid rises in other states
- 5 Places to Turn for Accurate Health InformationNY Times Changes to federal health websites have raised concerns about their reliability. These independent sources offer an alternative. Soon after President Donald J. Trump took office for his second term, thousands of health websites run by the federal government that kept the public informed about infectious diseases, mental health, vaccines and more were taken… Read more: 5 Places to Turn for Accurate Health Information
- Many Americans say they will lose trust in public health recommendations under federal leadership changesHarvard School of Public Health One hundred days into the new federal administration, a new poll reports that major segments of the U.S. public anticipate they will lose trust in public health recommendations with the changes in health agency leadership. The poll, conducted among a national sample of U.S. adults, found that 44% of the… Read more: Many Americans say they will lose trust in public health recommendations under federal leadership changes
Updates on ongoing disease outbreaks
- How dangerous is the H5N1 virus? Experts warn of its pandemic potentialMSN Virologists across the globe are raising alarms over the spread of the H5N1 avian flu virus, which is now infecting not just birds, but cattle and humans. While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently considers the risk to the general public low, scientists warn that the virus’s increasing reach could lead to another pandemic. In a… Read more: How dangerous is the H5N1 virus? Experts warn of its pandemic potential
- H5N1 Bird Flu Cases Have Slowed in Animals and PeopleMedpage Today Detections of H5N1 avian influenza have slowed in both animals and humans, but continued surveillance is warranted, CDC researchers said. In dairy cattle, cases surged over the fall and early winter but eased in January, while cases in poultry flocks fell after February, and came down last month in backyard flocks, according to data… Read more: H5N1 Bird Flu Cases Have Slowed in Animals and People
- USDA Invests in Poultry Vaccine for Bird FluFarms The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has allocated $100 million toward researching and developing a vaccine to combat Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The disease has affected flocks across the country, but current infection rates are decreasing due to the slower migration season. Introducing a poultry vaccine could significantly reduce outbreaks and support the… Read more: USDA Invests in Poultry Vaccine for Bird Flu
- Bird flu is continuing to spread in animals across the US. Here’s what you need to knowABC News Bird flu is continuing to spread in animals across the United States more than a year after the first human case was detected. Since then, at least 70 people have fallen ill and at least one death was recorded in Louisiana, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The number of confirmed… Read more: Bird flu is continuing to spread in animals across the US. Here’s what you need to know
- Elephant seals won’t recover from bird flu for 100 yearsThe Wildlife Society A colony of southern elephant seals lost nearly all its newborn pups in 2023 to the virus Avian flu has devastated a colony of southern elephant seals in Argentina—so much that it may take a century for the marine mammals to recover. High Pathogenic Avian Influenza ripped through the southern elephant seal… Read more: Elephant seals won’t recover from bird flu for 100 years
- Genetic Study Retraces the Origins of Coronaviruses in BatsNYT As China and the United States trade charges of a lab leak, researchers contend in a new paper that the Covid pandemic got its start, like a previous one, in the wildlife trade. In the early 2000s, a coronavirus infecting bats jumped into raccoon dogs… Read more: Genetic Study Retraces the Origins of Coronaviruses in Bats
- New antiviral compounds show broad protection against COVID-19 variantsMedical News Since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, numerous novel antiviral therapeutic agents have been developed to target key proteases involved in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) replication. Nirmatrelvir and ensitrelvir, for example, are main protease (Mpro) inhibitors that are… Read more: New antiviral compounds show broad protection against COVID-19 variants
- Measles is making a comeback: Can we stop it?Harvard Health Seven things to know about the recent measles outbreaks. Has the recent news about measles outbreaks in the US surprised you? Didn’t it seem like we were done with measles? In the US, widespread vaccination halted the ongoing spread of measles more than 20 years ago, a major public health achievement. Before an effective vaccine… Read more: Measles is making a comeback: Can we stop it?
- Measles could again become widespread as cases surge worldwideThe Conversation Globally, measles is on the rise across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South America and parts of Europe. In 2025, North and South America saw 11 times more cases than during the same period last year. In Europe, measles rates are at their highest point in 25 years. In the U.S., as of May 2, 2025, health… Read more: Measles could again become widespread as cases surge worldwide
- Measles cases hit six-year high in South Korea amid outbreaks across south-east AsiaThe Guardian South Korea passes annual tally for 2024 already, as Vietnam and Thailand continue to battle outbreaks. South Korea has recorded the highest number of measles cases in six years, adding to concerns that low vaccination rates combined with international travel are contributing to further outbreaks elsewhere in the region. The country has confirmed 52 cases so far this… Read more: Measles cases hit six-year high in South Korea amid outbreaks across south-east Asia
- States loosen vaccine rules — even as measles outbreak ragesPolitico With a longtime vaccine skeptic serving as the country’s top health official, the movement is likely to make further inroads. The U.S. is on track to surpass 1,000 measles cases this year as the viral illness — once so rare that most young doctors don’t recognize the telltale rash — makes an alarming comeback.… Read more: States loosen vaccine rules — even as measles outbreak rages
- US government exercises $144m option for smallpox/mpox vaccine contractPharmaceutical Technology The options are for the freeze-dried version of Bavarian Nordic’s Jynneos, a formulation that allows easier stockpiling. Amid a US measles outbreak the US government has placed a $143.6m order for Bavarian… Read more: US government exercises $144m option for smallpox/mpox vaccine contract
- Stockpiling for mpox emergenciesGavi Recent outbreaks of mpox have highlighted the global threat posed by this virus. Historically an infection that circulated in animals and only occasionally affected humans, mpox is increasingly spreading from person to person through close… Read more: Stockpiling for mpox emergencies
- Critical Breakthrough in Understanding and Possibly Eradicating Lyme DiseaseWIBX Researchers at VCU submitted their findings to mBio, claiming they discovered “the Achilles’ heel of Lyme disease bacterium Borreliella burgdorferi.” The weakness is found in the Lyme-causing bacteria itself, which is the lactate dehydrogenase (BbLDH) enzyme. Researchers say it is the crucial ingredient that helps the bacteria grow and spread through an infected host’s body. This unique enzyme… Read more: Critical Breakthrough in Understanding and Possibly Eradicating Lyme Disease
- Ticks Pose an Increasing Health RiskJohns Hopkins With no vaccines yet and limited treatment options, avoiding tick bites is our best bet in reducing the risk of tickborne illnesses. The vast majority of vector-borne diseases in the U.S. are caused by ticks and the viruses, bacteria, and parasites they carry. Between 2019-2022, all 50 states and Washington, D.C. reported cases of… Read more: Ticks Pose an Increasing Health Risk
- We’re Releasing Millions Of Birds. The Ticks Are ThrivingForbes Each summer in the U.K., up to 50 million pheasants are released into woods and fields for recreational shooting. At their seasonal peak, the biomass of these birds rivals that of all native U.K. breeding birds combined — an astonishing ecological intervention repeated year after year. The practice is legal, well-established and supports rural economies. But new evidence… Read more: We’re Releasing Millions Of Birds. The Ticks Are Thriving
Emerging Infectious Disease Headlines
- The virus that stalks urban neighborhoodsYale Climate Connections West Nile sickened hundreds in the most affluent residential area in Dallas in 2012. Chicago, Los Angeles, and Sacramento suffer from hot spots, too. What’s helping it… Read more: The virus that stalks urban neighborhoods
- Critical Breakthrough in Understanding and Possibly Eradicating Lyme DiseaseWIBX Researchers at VCU submitted their findings to mBio, claiming they discovered “the Achilles’ heel of Lyme disease bacterium Borreliella burgdorferi.” The weakness is found in the Lyme-causing bacteria itself, which is… Read more: Critical Breakthrough in Understanding and Possibly Eradicating Lyme Disease
- Fungus Presents a Growing Threat to Health and Crops as Globe WarmsDiscover Magazine Climate change could fuel the spread of a fungus that can sicken and even kill people, as well as threaten crops, according to a study posted on the preprint server… Read more: Fungus Presents a Growing Threat to Health and Crops as Globe Warms
- Hepatitis A outbreak declared in L.A. County. ‘We really have to get ahead of this’Los Angeles Times Los Angeles County has declared a communitywide outbreak of hepatitis A, a highly contagious viral disease that can lead to lasting liver damage or even death. Although… Read more: Hepatitis A outbreak declared in L.A. County. ‘We really have to get ahead of this’
- Ticks Pose an Increasing Health RiskJohns Hopkins With no vaccines yet and limited treatment options, avoiding tick bites is our best bet in reducing the risk of tickborne illnesses. The vast majority of vector-borne diseases… Read more: Ticks Pose an Increasing Health Risk
- Scientists say global conditions are ripe for a yellow fever pandemicMedical News A recent study published in the journal npj Viruses proposed that global trends, including unprecedented urbanization, increased international travel, and the expansion of mosquito habitats, increase the odds of the… Read more: Scientists say global conditions are ripe for a yellow fever pandemic
Read more Emerging Infectious Diseases
- Genetic Study Retraces the Origins of Coronaviruses in BatsNYT As China and the United States trade charges of a lab leak, researchers contend in a new paper that the Covid pandemic got its start, like a previous one, in the wildlife trade. In… Read more: Genetic Study Retraces the Origins of Coronaviruses in Bats
- New Antimicrobial Paint Kills Flu, MRSA, and COVID-19 on ContactSciTechDaily A new bacteria-killing paint shows powerful promise in eliminating dangerous pathogens like MRSA and COVID-19 from hard surfaces. nfused with chlorhexidine, a trusted dental disinfectant, the coating works on plastics and metals and activates once dry.… Read more: New Antimicrobial Paint Kills Flu, MRSA, and COVID-19 on Contact
- A New UV Light May Help Stop Future PandemicsInfectious Disease Advisor Five years after COVID-19 first hit the United States, scientists are already brainstorming how to stop the next big virus. One possible solution? A special kind of ultraviolet light called far-UVC, CBS News reported.… Read more: A New UV Light May Help Stop Future Pandemics
- PET imaging reveals long-term heart and lung damage from COVID-19Health Imaging New PET imaging data highlight the long-lasting impact of COVID-19, revealing changes to the heart and lungs that are not detectable by standard medical assessments. The inflammatory alterations observed could indicate that individuals… Read more: PET imaging reveals long-term heart and lung damage from COVID-19
- Antiviral drug ensitrelvir shows promise in preventing household COVID spreadCIDRAP People who started taking the antiviral drug ensitrelvir within 72 hours after a household member tested positive for COVID-19 were significantly less likely to be infected, according to results from an international phase 3… Read more: Antiviral drug ensitrelvir shows promise in preventing household COVID spread
- What We Know About Covid’s Impact on Your BrainBloomberg Scientists worry that persistent cognitive issues caused by Covid signal that a surge in dementia cases and other mental conditions is on the horizon. Five years after the pandemic began, researchers are increasingly recognizing the… Read more: What We Know About Covid’s Impact on Your Brain
- US government exercises $144m option for smallpox/mpox vaccine contractPharmaceutical Technology The options are for the freeze-dried version of Bavarian Nordic’s Jynneos, a formulation that allows easier stockpiling. Amid a US measles outbreak the US government has placed a $143.6m order for Bavarian… Read more: US government exercises $144m option for smallpox/mpox vaccine contract
- The MMR vaccine doesn’t contain ‘aborted fetus debris’, as RFK Jr has claimed. Here’s the scienceThe Conversation Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the United States’ top public health official, recently claimed some religious groups avoid the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine because it contains “aborted fetus debris” and “DNA particles”. The… Read more: The MMR vaccine doesn’t contain ‘aborted fetus debris’, as RFK Jr has claimed. Here’s the science
- $500 Million Bet on Old Vaccine Technology Puzzles ScientistsMedPageToday The candidate vaccine uses technology that was largely abandoned in the 1970s. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shifted the money from a pandemic preparedness fund to a vaccine development program led by… Read more: $500 Million Bet on Old Vaccine Technology Puzzles Scientists
- The little-known database at the heart of Kennedy’s vaccine conspiracy theoryNBC News Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has long claimed a secret database holds the truth about vaccines and autism. Now that he’s in charge, his anti-vaccine supporters wonder — can he deliver? For as long as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.… Read more: The little-known database at the heart of Kennedy’s vaccine conspiracy theory
- Measles Misinformation Is on the Rise — And Americans Are Hearing It, Survey FindsKFF While the most serious measles epidemic in a decade has led to the deaths of two children and spread to 27 states with no signs of letting up, beliefs about the safety of the measles vaccine and the threat… Read more: Measles Misinformation Is on the Rise — And Americans Are Hearing It, Survey Finds
- Office design isn’t keeping up with post-COVID work styles – here’s what workers really wantThe Conversation Flexible work has become the new norm, despite the best efforts of companies calling workers back to the office. Some employers assume that a return to the old ways of working is both possible and desirable. But for many… Read more: Office design isn’t keeping up with post-COVID work styles – here’s what workers really want
- Do You Have Your Cootie Shot?The Atlantic The classic kids’ game teaches a lesson about public health that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has failed to learn. A sudden and mysterious outbreak of communicable disease began recently in my apartment building in Manhattan. Three 7-year-olds, a… Read more: Do You Have Your Cootie Shot?
Interesting and Sometimes Funny
- World’s tallest and smallest dogs meet up for a playdate
Smithsonian Magazine The world’s tallest and shortest dogs recently met up for a playdate—and their unique get-together was just as adorable as you might imagine. Reggie is a massive Great Dane that can easily rest his head on the kitchen counter, while Pearl is a pint-sized Chihuahua that barely hovers off the ground. Despite their… Read more: World’s tallest and smallest dogs meet up for a playdate