Timely and relevant global health security news curated by GCHS
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Featured Headlines
EBOLA
- Questions Raised Over U.S. Ebola Screening Procedures for Travelers From UgandaA recent traveler returning to the United States from Uganda reported encountering no visible Ebola screening measures upon arrival at Washington Dulles International Airport despite newly announced restrictions and enhanced health screening protocols related to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa. The traveler had been staying in western Uganda, away from the outbreak’s epicenter… Read more: Questions Raised Over U.S. Ebola Screening Procedures for Travelers From Uganda
- Evacuated U.S. Doctor Describes Fear and Frustration Amid Congo Ebola Outbreak
An American missionary physician evacuated from the Democratic Republic of Congo after possible Ebola exposure says he feels helpless watching colleagues remain on the front lines as the outbreak worsens. Patrick LaRochelle, now under observation in a specialized hospital unit in Prague, said the outbreak became clear only after reports of patients rapidly dying from… Read more: Evacuated U.S. Doctor Describes Fear and Frustration Amid Congo Ebola Outbreak - Ebola Outbreak in Congo Accelerates Faster Than Response EffortsHealth officials warn that the rapidly growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is outpacing global response efforts, with authorities struggling to identify and monitor thousands of potentially exposed individuals. The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain for which no approved vaccine or treatment exists, has already resulted in approximately 900 suspected… Read more: Ebola Outbreak in Congo Accelerates Faster Than Response Efforts
- Uganda Closes Congo Border Amid Growing Ebola Concerns
Uganda has temporarily closed its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo as officials work to prevent further spread of the ongoing Ebola outbreak centered in Congo’s Ituri province. Seven confirmed Ebola cases have already been reported in Kampala, though health authorities say the country has strong disease surveillance and response systems in place. Limited… Read more: Uganda Closes Congo Border Amid Growing Ebola Concerns - Anger and Instability Complicate Ebola Response in Eastern Congo
Health officials and aid workers responding to the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo are facing growing resistance and security challenges as fear spreads among local communities. In the town of Rwampara, angry residents set fire to an Ebola treatment center after authorities prevented them from retrieving the body of a suspected Ebola victim for traditional… Read more: Anger and Instability Complicate Ebola Response in Eastern Congo - Emerging Virus Strains Raise New Questions for ResearchersRecent Ebola and hantavirus outbreaks are highlighting major gaps in scientific understanding of emerging virus strains. Health officials report that the hantavirus linked to infections aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship appears to be spreading person-to-person, an unusual pattern for hantaviruses, which are typically transmitted through contact with infected rodents. At the same time, the… Read more: Emerging Virus Strains Raise New Questions for Researchers
- Uganda Closes Congo Border as Ebola Cases Continue to RiseUganda has ordered the immediate closure of its border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo as concerns grow over a worsening Ebola outbreak involving the rare Bundibugyo strain, which currently has no approved vaccines or treatments. The decision follows reports that Ugandan healthcare workers were exposed to infected patients who crossed the border before… Read more: Uganda Closes Congo Border as Ebola Cases Continue to Rise
- CDC Requests Volunteers for Enhanced Ebola Airport Screenings
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an urgent internal request for staff volunteers to assist with Ebola screening efforts at designated U.S. airports amid the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to an internal email, the agency is recruiting personnel across a range of public health and… Read more: CDC Requests Volunteers for Enhanced Ebola Airport Screenings - Displacement Camps Raise Fears of Wider Ebola Spread in Eastern Congo
Aid workers and local leaders in Bunia, eastern Congo, are warning that overcrowded displacement camps with limited sanitation could accelerate the spread of Ebola. In one camp housing approximately 10,000 people, residents reportedly have access to only a single handwashing station and one infrared thermometer. Many families lack soap, clean water, and basic hygiene supplies,… Read more: Displacement Camps Raise Fears of Wider Ebola Spread in Eastern Congo - U.S. to send Americans exposed to Ebola to makeshift hospital in Kenya
U.S. officials are planning to establish a quarantine facility in central Kenya within the next week to house Americans who may have been exposed to Ebola. The site would use biocontainment units transported from the United States to safely isolate individuals under observation. Discussions are ongoing regarding how confirmed Ebola cases would be managed if… Read more: U.S. to send Americans exposed to Ebola to makeshift hospital in Kenya
HANTAVIRUS
- Cruise Ship Undergoes Additional Cleaning Following Deadly Hantavirus Outbreak
The MV Hondius cruise ship, linked to a hantavirus outbreak that has resulted in 12 confirmed cases and three deaths, is undergoing additional cleaning and disinfection measures in Rotterdam before it can return to service. Dutch health authorities requested the extra sanitation work following inspections of the vessel, though officials have not specified the reason… Read more: Cruise Ship Undergoes Additional Cleaning Following Deadly Hantavirus Outbreak - Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak Grows to 13 Confirmed Cases
The World Health Organization reports that the hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship has grown to 13 confirmed cases following identification of a new case in Spain among quarantined passengers. Three deaths have been associated with the outbreak, though no additional fatalities have been reported since early May. Health officials say the… Read more: Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak Grows to 13 Confirmed Cases - New Hantavirus Case Confirmed Among Cruise Ship Crew Member in NetherlandsHealth officials have confirmed a new hantavirus infection in a crew member linked to the outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. The individual was repatriated to the Netherlands after disembarking in Tenerife and is currently hospitalized in isolation following laboratory confirmation of infection. According to the World Health Organization, the outbreak has now resulted… Read more: New Hantavirus Case Confirmed Among Cruise Ship Crew Member in Netherlands
- Additional States Monitoring Travelers for Possible Hantavirus ExposureSeveral U.S. states have expanded monitoring efforts for potential hantavirus exposure, with the number of individuals under observation increasing from 41 to 59 nationwide. Health officials in California, Maryland, North Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Oregon are monitoring additional people, many of whom reportedly shared flights with passengers potentially exposed to Andes hantavirus aboard the MV… Read more: Additional States Monitoring Travelers for Possible Hantavirus Exposure
- 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
Updates on ongoing disease outbreaks
- Vietnam Destroys Thousands of Poultry Following H5N1 Bird Flu OutbreaksAuthorities in Dien Bien province, Vietnam, have culled approximately 5,000 poultry after two outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza A/H5N1 were confirmed in Thanh Yen Commune during May. The first outbreak affected a flock of 1,500 ducks, while a second outbreak involved 3,500 chickens and ducks at a nearby household. In response, local officials suspended… Read more: Vietnam Destroys Thousands of Poultry Following H5N1 Bird Flu Outbreaks
- Researchers Highlight Bird Flu Data Gaps Threatening Wildlife ConservationA new paper published in Wildlife Monographs examines critical gaps in scientific understanding of how highly pathogenic avian influenza spreads among wild bird populations and the growing threat it poses to vulnerable species. University of Rhode Island researcher Johanna Harvey and collaborators reviewed how migration patterns, seasonal behavior, and species interactions influence bird flu transmission… Read more: Researchers Highlight Bird Flu Data Gaps Threatening Wildlife Conservation
- New Monograph Examines U.S. Bird Flu Risks and Wildlife TransmissionA University of Maryland-led research team has published a comprehensive review examining how highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) spreads among wild bird populations and the risks it poses to wildlife and domestic poultry. The report synthesizes decades of research on migratory bird behavior, species biology, and environmental factors that influence how the virus moves through… Read more: New Monograph Examines U.S. Bird Flu Risks and Wildlife Transmission
- 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
- Japan Reports Rising Measles Cases as Imported Infections IncreaseJapan has reported nearly 500 measles cases so far this year, approaching levels last seen during the country’s largest outbreak in the past decade in 2019. Health officials say most infections are linked to viruses brought into the country by international travelers, despite Japan having previously achieved measles elimination status in 2015. Measles, a highly… Read more: Japan Reports Rising Measles Cases as Imported Infections Increase
- Utah Measles Outbreak Threatens Infants and Other Vulnerable GroupsA growing measles outbreak in Utah has infected more than 670 people, including infants, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals who are either too young or medically unable to receive vaccination. Health officials report that at least 23 babies under age one and 12 pregnant women have been infected, with one case involving transmission from mother… Read more: Utah Measles Outbreak Threatens Infants and Other Vulnerable Groups
- Massive Measles Outbreak in Bangladesh Kills Hundreds of ChildrenA severe measles outbreak in Bangladesh has caused more than 60,000 suspected cases and over 500 suspected deaths since mid-March, primarily affecting children under age five. Health officials and aid organizations warn that the crisis is overwhelming hospitals and receiving far less international attention than other recent outbreaks. Many children are developing severe complications, including… Read more: Massive Measles Outbreak in Bangladesh Kills Hundreds of Children
- 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
Emerging Infectious Disease Headlines
- Dengue Cases in the U.S. Reach Record High as Transmission Risk GrowsNew CDC data show a sharp rise in dengue cases across the United States, with nearly 4,000 reported infections in 2024—a 359% increase and the highest number ever recorded. Most… Read more: Dengue Cases in the U.S. Reach Record High as Transmission Risk Grows
- Wisconsin Health Officials Urge Mpox Precautions Following New CasesThe Wisconsin Department of Health Services is encouraging residents to take preventive measures against mpox after new cases were confirmed in southeastern and northern parts of the state. Mpox is… Read more: Wisconsin Health Officials Urge Mpox Precautions Following New Cases
- New Monograph Examines U.S. Bird Flu Risks and Wildlife TransmissionA University of Maryland-led research team has published a comprehensive review examining how highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) spreads among wild bird populations and the risks it poses to wildlife… Read more: New Monograph Examines U.S. Bird Flu Risks and Wildlife Transmission
- 2014 Ebola Outbreak Marked First U.S. Transmission CasesRecent concerns about Ebola exposures have renewed attention on the 2014 West Africa outbreak, which led to the first known Ebola transmission cases in the United States. In September 2014,… Read more: 2014 Ebola Outbreak Marked First U.S. Transmission Cases
- 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
- The Backward Logic of Chickenpox Parties
Wired Before vaccines, some parents intentionally exposed their children to the virus. In the internet age, that thinking is resurfacing. Anyone who has had chickenpox shares one distinct memory: the relentless,… Read more: The Backward Logic of Chickenpox Parties
Read more Emerging Infectious Diseases
- Lilly Expands Infectious Disease Research Through Three Vaccine-Focused AcquisitionsEli Lilly announced plans to acquire three biotechnology companies—Curevo, LimmaTech Biologics, and Vaccine Company—to strengthen its infectious disease and vaccine development portfolio. The acquisitions focus on preventing viral and bacterial infections linked to long-term health… Read more: Lilly Expands Infectious Disease Research Through Three Vaccine-Focused Acquisitions
- Experts Answer Key Questions About the Growing Ebola Outbreak in Central AfricaA Texas State University microbiology and virology specialist outlined key concerns surrounding the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, which involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus. Unlike more… Read more: Experts Answer Key Questions About the Growing Ebola Outbreak in Central Africa
- Researchers Launch Faster, Adaptive Clinical Trials for New Ebola OutbreakResearchers and global health agencies are moving quickly to launch adaptive clinical trials during the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, building on lessons learned from previous epidemics and the COVID-19… Read more: Researchers Launch Faster, Adaptive Clinical Trials for New Ebola Outbreak
- 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
- 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
- Misinformation and Distrust Complicate Ebola Response in CongoFalse claims and conspiracy theories surrounding the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are fueling public mistrust, violence, and resistance to health measures as officials struggle to contain the disease. Rumors that Ebola is fabricated for financial gain… Read more: Misinformation and Distrust Complicate Ebola Response in Congo
- 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
- 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
- Octopuses Are Punching Lazy Fish During Team Hunts
New research from the Red Sea reveals that octopuses may have a surprisingly sophisticated social side — including the tendency to punch fish that aren’t pulling their weight during cooperative hunts. Scientists observed octopuses teaming up with multiple fish species to locate hidden prey, with helpful fish scouting crevices and signaling where food was hiding.… Read more: Octopuses Are Punching Lazy Fish During Team Hunts