News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – The number of pediatric influenza deaths outstripped last week's spike, and three more states reported widespread activity, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its weekly surveillance update.

(CIDRAP News) – Americans who receive anthrax shots—mainly members of the military—are likely to get five injections into muscle tissue instead of six subcutaneous injections, as a result of action today by the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

WHO confirms Vietnam's recent H5N1 deathThe World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the death of a 23-year-old woman from H5N1 avian influenza. Her Feb 21 death raises the country's death toll to 53 among 109 cases, second only to Indonesia, which has 141 WHO-confirmed cases.[Feb 24 WHO statement]

(CIDRAP News) – The world's capacity to produce vaccines for an influenza pandemic has risen sharply in the past 2 years, but it would still take an estimated 4 years to meet the global demand if a pandemic emerged now, according to a report from an international strategy consulting firm.