Timely and relevant global health security news curated by GCHS
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Featured Headlines
- Sneaky viruses can hide in your body and bounce back even if you’re curedNPR Viruses are tiny — and sneaky. So sneaky that some play a deadly game of hide and seek. The “seek” part is all too familiar: They’re always looking for ways to infect humans. Their ability to hide is far less well-known and can have devastating implications. The human body holds several effective hiding spots… Read more: Sneaky viruses can hide in your body and bounce back even if you’re cured
- Global Disease Outbreaks: A 2025 Snapshot and Implications for the U.S.KFF Each year, there are multiple infectious disease outbreaks (defined as the occurrence of cases of disease in excess of what is expected) throughout the world. Some of these become severe and have global and domestic implications, including, most notably, the COVID-19 pandemic, but also the 2002-2004 SARS outbreak in China and eventually 28 other countries and the… Read more: Global Disease Outbreaks: A 2025 Snapshot and Implications for the U.S.
- Behind the Dismantling of the C.D.C.: Reform or ‘Humiliation’?NYT The agency has lost a third of its work force this year. The Trump administration maintains that the losses are necessary, but critics say that there is no real plan, only animosity. Months before Robert F. Kennedy Jr. became health secretary, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began preparing for his… Read more: Behind the Dismantling of the C.D.C.: Reform or ‘Humiliation’?
Updates on ongoing disease outbreaks
- Bird Flu Is Back. Here’s What to KnowScientific American After a quiet summer, bird flu cases are rising again. Scientists expected the development, but what happens next is still uncertain. After a summer lull in U.S. cases of avian influenza in both poultry and dairy cattle—and no human infections reported in the country since February—the virus is back. Bird flu’s return threatens… Read more: Bird Flu Is Back. Here’s What to Know
- Tiger deaths in Vietnam due to infection with H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus bearing mutations associated with mammalian host adaptationNIH Abstract Recently, infections with the H5N1 subtype of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1-HPAIV) in mammals have been reported worldwide, including in cows in the United States and successive human cases in Cambodia. In Vietnam, 47 tigers and three leopards died from H5N1-HPAIV infection between August and October 2024. This study aimed to determine… Read more: Tiger deaths in Vietnam due to infection with H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus bearing mutations associated with mammalian host adaptation
- This ‘minor’ bird flu strain has potential to spark human pandemicNature Experiments suggests H9N2 has adapted to human cells but cases of person-to-person transmission haven’t been reported yet. A bird flu virus that has often been ignored because it mostly causes minor disease in birds has the potential to cause a human pandemic, says a team that has tracked how the H9N2 virus has become… Read more: This ‘minor’ bird flu strain has potential to spark human pandemic
- This Overlooked Bird Flu Strain Might Be the Next Pandemic RiskScientific American Experiments suggests H9N2 has adapted to human cells, but cases of person-to-person transmission haven’t been reported yet. A bird flu virus that has often been ignored because it mostly causes minor disease in birds has the potential to cause a human pandemic, says a team that has tracked how the H9N2 virus has… Read more: This Overlooked Bird Flu Strain Might Be the Next Pandemic Risk
- Inside Pennsylvania’s fight against bird flu as labs work to prevent outbreaksCBS News Scientists, veterinarians, and technicians at the Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory are working to contain the spread of bird flu, a disease that has costed the agriculture industry thousands of dollars. The Department of Agriculture reports that since April 2022, Pennsylvania has lost more than seven million birds due to the disease, leading to increased… Read more: Inside Pennsylvania’s fight against bird flu as labs work to prevent outbreaks
- Germany: 500,000 birds culled as flu spreadsDW Dozens of cases of bird flu have been reported across the country, especially in north-eastern regions. The virus isn’t particularly dangerous for humans, but could result in higher prices for poultry and eggs. Over half a million hens, ducks, geese and turkeys have been culled in Germany since the start of September as a virulent strain… Read more: Germany: 500,000 birds culled as flu spreads
- New Paper-Based COVID-19 Test Uses Aptamer ‘Cocktails’ for Faster, More Accurate DetectionDoc Wire News Researchers in Turkey have developed a new kind of paper-based test for COVID-19 that uses aptamer “cocktails,” special short strands of DNA or RNA that can bind tightly and specifically to parts of the virus. This test is designed to detect two key… Read more: New Paper-Based COVID-19 Test Uses Aptamer ‘Cocktails’ for Faster, More Accurate Detection
- Long COVID associated with SARS-CoV-2 reinfection among children and adolescents in the omicron era (RECOVER-EHR): a retrospective cohort studyThe Lancet Background Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) remain a major public health challenge. Although previous studies have focused on characterising PASC in children and adolescents after an initial infection, the risks of PASC after reinfection with the omicron variant remain unclear. We aimed to… Read more: Long COVID associated with SARS-CoV-2 reinfection among children and adolescents in the omicron era (RECOVER-EHR): a retrospective cohort study
- Secondary Infections and Long COVID in Kids: What Pediatricians Need to KnowMedscape When Lucas Denault was first infected with COVID in January 2021 at the age of 15, his symptoms were relatively mild. A high school athlete at the time, the Pennsylvania resident experienced a brief bout of cold-like symptoms, recovered, and resumed his life. But 3… Read more: Secondary Infections and Long COVID in Kids: What Pediatricians Need to Know
- Long-term cardiovascular complications in COVID-19 survivors according to disease severityNature Post-sepsis syndrome is a major concern affecting sepsis survivors. COVID-19 increases the risk of long-term complications, but existing data lack detail on patient-specific factors and long-term cardiovascular complications, namely major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Our objective was to analyze and compare the MACE occurrence, among… Read more: Long-term cardiovascular complications in COVID-19 survivors according to disease severity
- Covid and Flu Can Triple Your Risk of Heart AttackNYT A new analysis adds to the research about the link between viral infections and heart disease. A number of viral infections, including flu, Covid-19 and shingles, are linked to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, a new study affirmed. The risk of a… Read more: Covid and Flu Can Triple Your Risk of Heart Attack
- What to know about the ‘Frankenstein’ variant of COVID-19Euronews The currently dominant COVID-19 variant in Germany has been referred to as the ‘Frankenstein’ variant. Here’s why. As is the case every year, new variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 are circulating in Europe. In Germany, the variant XFG is now dominant. It is… Read more: What to know about the ‘Frankenstein’ variant of COVID-19
- What is Mpox and why are cases rising in Europe?BBC UK health officials are encouraging gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men to make sure they are vaccinated against mpox, as a strain called ‘clade Ib’ shows early signs of… Read more: What is Mpox and why are cases rising in Europe?
- CDC says 3 cases of severe mpox in California may be linked to August caseAmerican Hospital Association The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released an advisory Oct. 29 on three unrelated cases of clade I mpox recently identified in California. The agency said that viral genomic data suggested the… Read more: CDC says 3 cases of severe mpox in California may be linked to August case
- 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 in the Chicago area since SeptemberOutbreak News Today The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) report since September this year, There have been five confirmed cases of measles in the surrounding Chicago area- four cases in suburban Cook County residents, and one case in a Lake County, Indiana resident. The four measles cases in suburban Cook County are epidemiologically linked.… Read more: Measles in the Chicago area since September
- Measles outbreak grows in South Carolina, mobile vaccine unit deployedWYFF News The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) is adding eight new confirmed cases of measles in Spartanburg County since Friday, bringing the total number of cases in South Carolina this year to 33 and the total number of cases in the current Upstate outbreak to 30. All eight new cases were linked to close… Read more: Measles outbreak grows in South Carolina, mobile vaccine unit deployed
- Canada is likely to lose its measles elimination status. The U.S. could be next.NBC News Neither country has been able to stop continuous spread of the highly contagious virus within the past year. Canada is on track to lose its measles elimination status as an outbreak that began a year ago continues to spread. The United States could follow in the coming months. The Canadian outbreak began in… Read more: Canada is likely to lose its measles elimination status. The U.S. could be next.
Emerging Infectious Disease Headlines
- Diphtheria, a Once Vanquished Killer of Children, Is ResurgentNYT A Somali hospital ward packed with gasping children shows how war, climate and mistrust of vaccines is fueling the disease’s return. Qurraisha Mukhtar’s two youngest children fell sick in… Read more: Diphtheria, a Once Vanquished Killer of Children, Is Resurgent
- Germany: Pet Rat Breeding Facility Linked to Rare Viral OutbreakWild Science A 44-year-old woman in central Germany nearly died from a virus most people have never heard of, transmitted by creatures increasingly found in living rooms across the country:… Read more: Germany: Pet Rat Breeding Facility Linked to Rare Viral Outbreak
- Hand, foot, and mouth disease outbreak hits 31 schools, day cares in Tennessee countyABC News An outbreak of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) has hit Tennessee, affecting dozens of schools in Shelby County, which includes the city of Memphis. The county health… Read more: Hand, foot, and mouth disease outbreak hits 31 schools, day cares in Tennessee county
- Resistant Bacteria Are Advancing Faster Than AntibioticsWired One in six laboratory-confirmed bacteria tested in 2023 proved resistant to antibiotic treatment, according to the World Health Organization. All were related to various common diseases. The proliferation of difficult-to-treat… Read more: Resistant Bacteria Are Advancing Faster Than Antibiotics
- We Can Stop Deadly Hospital Outbreaks — So Why Aren’t We?MedPage Today Aaron Young was a patient in a California hospital undergoing a routine procedure investigating the source of his pancreatitis. He needed an exam using a duodenoscope — something more… Read more: We Can Stop Deadly Hospital Outbreaks — So Why Aren’t We?
- Respiratory virus season has arrived. What to know about getting this year’s vaccinesCNN It’s that time of year when the leaves are turning golden, there’s a chill in the air and the threat of respiratory viruses like Covid-19, influenza or RSV looms… Read more: Respiratory virus season has arrived. What to know about getting this year’s vaccines
Read more Emerging Infectious Diseases
- Teaching Machines to Fight Infectious DiseasesISDE Artificial intelligence may be the hot, new, sexy term, but the subset of AI that has the most potential for improving the discovery of new antimicrobials, outbreak surveillance, diagnostic testing and other facets of managing infectious diseases is machine learning—teaching… Read more: Teaching Machines to Fight Infectious Diseases
- Understanding the Impact of Federal Cuts to mRNA Vaccine ResearchAmerican Lung Assn Last month, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) cancelled $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccine research and development. This decision will have devastating consequences for public health and goes… Read more: Understanding the Impact of Federal Cuts to mRNA Vaccine Research
- Long COVID Linked to Development of Cardiovascular DiseaseInfectious Disease Advisor The presence of long COVID symptoms after infection with SARS-CoV-2 is strongly associated with the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in United States adults, according to study results presented at IDWeek 2025, held from… Read more: Long COVID Linked to Development of Cardiovascular Disease
- Threat to US vaccines as CDC staff supporting key advisory panel laid offGuardian Critics say scientists ‘held hostage’ by RFK Jr as changes mean vaccine development and guidance in peril. he staff supporting the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) were let go earlier this month… Read more: Threat to US vaccines as CDC staff supporting key advisory panel laid off
- Shingles Vaccine Tied to Drops in Heart Disease, Dementia, DeathMedPageToday Having herpes zoster (shingles) boosted the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), but shingles vaccination reduced some risks for older adults, analyses presented at the IDWeekopens in a new tab or window annual meeting… Read more: Shingles Vaccine Tied to Drops in Heart Disease, Dementia, Death
- How to Spot Medical Misinformation on Social Media and Determine What’s TrustworthyHealthline Always fact-check health claims and trends on social media with what trustworthy sources are saying on the topic. Medical misinformation can have dangerous effects for you and others. Because health content on social media is typically delivered in a… Read more: How to Spot Medical Misinformation on Social Media and Determine What’s Trustworthy
- 6 Reasons Why People Believe Health MisinformationPsychology Today Reasons 1 and 2: Mistrust of Experts and Personal Autonomy Almost everyone has had at least one bad experience with the health care system—particularly in the United States, where both insurance and health care delivery lack consistency and… Read more: 6 Reasons Why People Believe Health Misinformation
- When Covid-19 took hold, cruise ship operators struggled to stay afloat. One option was to scrap older vessels – giving one photographer a unique perspective.BBC As Covid-19 spread at the start of 2020, the modern, globalized economy began to shudder to a halt. Shops shut their doors. Factory production lines grew silent. The world’s vast armada of airliners stayed stationary in quiet airports – at least… Read more: When Covid-19 took hold, cruise ship operators struggled to stay afloat. One option was to scrap older vessels – giving one photographer a unique perspective.
- Covid 2020: Where cruise ships went to dieBBC When Covid-19 took hold, cruise ship operators struggled to stay afloat. One option was to scrap older vessels – giving one photographer a unique perspective. As Covid-19 spread at the start of 2020, the modern, globalised economy began to… Read more: Covid 2020: Where cruise ships went to die
Interesting and Sometimes Funny
- Why honey bees overthrow their queen
Phys.org It sounds like the plot of a medieval historical drama: A once-powerful monarch, weakened by illness, is overthrown by her previously loyal subjects. But in honey bee colonies, such high-stakes coups aren’t just fantasy—they’re a common occurrence that comes with both risk and reward for bee colonies and the food systems that depend on… Read more: Why honey bees overthrow their queen