Category: Featured Headlines
Mpanda : an unknown illness under surveillance; initial analyses rule out major hemorrhagic fevers
SOS Médias Burundi Mpanda, April 13, 2026 — An as-yet-unidentified illness, responsible for several cases and deaths in the Mpanda district, has been mobilizing Burundian health authorities for several days. While initial laboratory analyses are reassuring, investigations are continuing to determine the exact origin of this illness. The illness has been reported in the villages […]
Apr 15, 2026
Burundi: Mysterious disease kills five; WHO investigates
Lamilano Burundian health authorities, together with the World Health Organization (WHO), are investigating the cause of a mysterious disease that has caused five deaths and 35 infections in the Mpanda district, located in the northern region of the country. Laboratory tests have ruled out the presence of Ebola and Marburg virus infections, Rift Valley fever, […]
Apr 15, 2026
Senegal reports 2nd human CCHF case of 2026
Outbreak News Today During the week ending April 4, Senegal health authorities reported an additional Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) case. The case is a 28-year-old female from Dioffor area in Fatick region in southwest Senegal. She presented at the health facility with fever, muscle and body pain, vomiting, bleeding and meningoencephalitis. CCHF virus was […]
Apr 15, 2026
As Cities Invade the Amazon, Yellow Fever Makes a Dangerous Comeback
Sci Tech Daily As human development increasingly encroaches on the Amazon, researchers find that the growing boundary between forests and urban areas is accelerating the spillover of yellow fever into human populations. Human activity is pushing deeper into previously undisturbed ecosystems, disrupting natural balances and creating new risks for people. A study from UC Santa Barbara finds […]
Apr 15, 2026
Wildlife trade drives animal-to-human pathogen transmission over 40 years
Science The closer and longer the contact between species, the higher the chances of transmission of pathogens. This rule of thumb applies to human-to-human contacts as well as contacts with other species. Gippet et al. examined trade data for wildlife species from the past 40 years and showed that the longer a species had been legally […]
Apr 15, 2026
Global Wildlife Trade Fuels Spread of Disease From Animals to People
NYT Live animal markets and the illegal sale of wildlife pose particular dangers, but any sale of wild animals or animal products poses spillover risks, a new study suggests. The global wildlife trade is driving the spread of disease from animals to people, according to a new study of thousands of wild mammal species and 40 years […]
Apr 15, 2026
US cases of COVID variant ‘Cicada’ up more than 15% and rising
USA Today A new, “highly mutated” COVID strain is quickly gaining ground in the United States, according to new data. Variant BA.3.2, nicknamed “Cicada,” first drew the attention of health officials earlier this year when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization noted it had appeared in at least 23 countries and accounted for […]
Apr 8, 2026
Two years after it emerged, ‘cow flu’ is still circulating—and baffling scientists
Science Researchers still aren’t sure how H5N1 influenza spreads between cows and from farm to farm. After 2 years, the U.S. outbreak of the H5N1 influenza virus in cattle appears to be waning, easing fears that the virus could cause long-lasting damage to the dairy industry or mutate into a form that could cause a […]
Apr 8, 2026
U.S. facing largest outbreak of bird flu in its history, including backyard flocks in Kentucky
NPR The U.S. is facing the largest outbreak of bird flu in its history. As birds migrate this spring, the virus can spread along major flyways through droppings, contaminated water, or direct contact, infecting backyard flocks, pet birds, and commercial poultry. Anyone who raises birds should understand the risks and how to protect their poultry. Dr. Chelsey Shivley, is a […]
Apr 8, 2026
First European case of H9N2 bird flu reported in Italy – what you need to know
The Conversation The first human case of H9N2 influenza virus (bird flu) has been reported in Europe. A human infection was recorded by the Italian Ministry of Health on March 25, 2026. As an influenza virologist, I can explain what this means and why I am not particularly worried by it – yet. What do we know […]
Apr 1, 2026