Category: Emerging Infectious Diseases
Pfizer, BioNTech say bivalent COVID-19 booster shot performs better against BA.5 omicron subvariant
(ABC News) American pharmaceutical company Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech announced Friday that a booster dose of their bivalent COVID-19 vaccine performs better against two circulating versions of the omicron variant, compared with a booster shot of their original vaccine.According to a joint press release, updated data from a Phase 2-3 clinical trial shows […]
Nov 4, 2022
Uganda Ebola Updates
11/4/2022 Health Care Worker Ebola Fatality at Mubende Regional Referral Hospital 11/4/2022 WHO Africa Ebola Report #42 11/4/2022 Uganda says Ebola outbreak death toll rises to 48 (Reuters) The death toll from an Ebola outbreak in Uganda has risen to 48, with 131 confirmed cases, a health official involved in managing the outbreak said on […]
Nov 4, 2022
A Reporter in Search of Long Covid’s Impact
(Bloomberg Prognosis/Jason Gale) While the evidence is still emerging, what’s clear already is that the social and economic impacts are profound. Harvard economist David Cutler puts the cost of long Covid at $3.7 trillion in the US alone. And the condition could impair more than 140 million people worldwide.
Nov 3, 2022
Orange County declares health emergency as RSV surges; cases also rising in L.A.
(Los Angeles Times) Rapidly spreading viral infections have pushed pediatric hospitalizations and daily emergency room visits to record levels in Orange County, prompting officials to declare a health emergency. The county, like the rest of California, is facing a viral triple whammy: continued circulation of the coronavirus, seasonal rise of the flu and heightened spread of respiratory […]
Nov 2, 2022
What to know about RSV, a virus surging among young children in Canada
(CBC) Cases of respiratory syncytial virus rising in parts of Canada after drop early in pandemic. Children’s hospitals in Canada are seeing an increase in cases of a common respiratory virus that, in rare cases, can lead to severe illness in infants. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes infections of the lungs and respiratory tract. It […]
Nov 2, 2022
Researchers create new model to detect COVID’s effects using chest X-rays
(Iowa Now) For patients dealing with lingering respiratory symptoms from the novel coronavirus, a chest X-ray can reveal only so much. The two-dimensional (2D) scans simply can’t distinguish compromised lung function. For that diagnosis, a more expensive, three-dimensional (3D) technique called a CT scan is necessary. Yet many medical clinics in the United States don’t have […]
Nov 1, 2022
USDA to Fund Research on SARS-CoV-2 in Animals
(Pork) USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will disseminate $30 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to address SARS-CoV-2 in animals and advance the nation’s ability to protect the health of humans and animals. This funding opportunity is part of APHIS’ multipronged approach under its American Rescue Plan Strategic Framework, to build […]
Nov 1, 2022
Pfizer’s RSV vaccine, given during pregnancy, protects infants from severe illness
(Washington Post) Pfizer announced Tuesday that its maternal RSV vaccine, given during pregnancy, protected infants from developing severe symptoms during the first six months after birth — a critical window of vulnerability. The company plans to apply for approval of the vaccine before year’s end, with the hope that the shot could be the first […]
Nov 1, 2022
Here’s How We Defeated Monkeypox and What It Means for the Next Pandemic
(Daily Beast) Five months after the world’s health agencies first sounded the alarm over a rare global outbreak of monkeypox, a sometimes fatal viral disease that’s normally endemic only in West and Central Africa, there’s finally some good news. The leading vaccines are working. Vulnerable populations—especially men who have sex with men—are getting jabbed at a healthy […]
Nov 1, 2022
Did My Strong COVID Vax Reaction Give Me Better Immunity?
(MedPageToday) Is a strong reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine a sign of a more robust immune response that ultimately brings better protection against infection, hospitalization, and death? Many are asking that question as they roll up their sleeves for yet another booster. Science doesn’t have a definitive answer, as the literature is generally mixed — […]
Nov 1, 2022