Category: Emerging Infectious Diseases
Arizona officials confirm measles outbreak in Navajo County
AP Health officials in Arizona say there are four linked measles cases in Navajo County, marking the state’s first outbreak this year. The U.S. logged 122 more cases of measles last week — but only four of them in Texas — while the outbreaks in Pennsylvania and Michigan officially ended. There were 1,168 confirmed measles cases in […]
Jun 11, 2025
New COVID Variant NB.1.8.1 Spreads in the U.S., Foreshadowing a Likely Summer Surge
Discover A new COVID variant known as NB.1.8.1 is on the rise in the U.S. and beyond, landing on the radar of health officials. The variant, first identified in January 2025, is now being closely monitored, with cases already popping up across several states. A report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Advisory […]
Jun 10, 2025
Six babies with unvaccinated mothers born with measles in Canada
The Guardian Ontario’s chief medical officer of health says infections could have been prevented through routine vaccination. Six babies with unvaccinated mothers have been born with congenital measles in the Canadian province of Ontario since the start of the largest outbreak of the disease in the western hemisphere late last year. Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, Kieran Moore, […]
Jun 10, 2025
Bangladesh reports first bird flu outbreak since 2018
The Poultry Site Bangladesh reported a first outbreak of highly pathogenic bird flu on a farm since 2018, the World Organisation for Animal Health said on Tuesday, citing local authorities. Highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, has spread around the globe in the past years, including in the United States, leading to the […]
Jun 4, 2025
Here’s What to Know About NB.1.8.1, the COVID Variant Surging in Asia
MedPageToday It will probably become dominant in the U.S. this summer, experts say. A new COVID variant driving a surge of infections in China and other parts of Asia has been detected by U.S. airport screening programsopens in a new tab or window, and experts say it may drive a summer wave in the U.S. NB.1.8.1 […]
Jun 4, 2025
What do we know about the new Omicron subvariant of COVID, NB.1.8.1?
University of Chicago Medicine Since COVID-19 first appeared, different variants of the virus that causes the illness have emerged, including Omicron, which was first identified in 2021. A new form of the Omicron variant has recently appeared in the United States, with the potential to cause an increase in infections in the coming months. While […]
Jun 4, 2025
Thailand’s Covid-19 cases surpass 250,000 as new variant spreads
VN News Thailand warns of rising Covid-19 cases driven by new variant NB.1.8.1, urging the public to stay cautious and follow health measures. Data from May 30 showed 41,283 new cases, bringing the total so far this year to 257,280 cases, with two new deaths, raising the total fatalities to 52. The Bangkok metropolitan area […]
Jun 4, 2025
Research at risk: Better testing for tick-borne diseases
Cornell University Laura Goodman was close to finalizing a prototype of a new test that can detect any tick-borne disease. Unlike some current tests, it could provide results even before symptoms occur – and even for unknown diseases. That’s important, because ticks around the world can potentially transmit hundreds of disease agents, some of them […]
Jun 4, 2025
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 […]
Jun 4, 2025
Measles Is Now Showing Up in Wastewater
Time Magazine Measles cases in the U.S. have been rare in recent decades, thanks to a strong childhood vaccination program. But a few cases inevitably pop up each year as travelers bring the virus in from other countries and infect unvaccinated people, primarily children. Those cases are no longer blips. Now that the measles vaccination rate […]
Jun 4, 2025