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Also, a review of blood samples suggests Zika-linked microcephaly in Hawaii as far back as 2009.
Saudi Arabia late yesterday announced three more MERS cases in three cities, raising the total over the past week to six cases.
All three cases are listed as primary, meaning there are no known links to other MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) cases, the Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) said. None of the patients work in healthcare or had exposure to camels.
The MOH listed the patients as:
In addition, phase 2 trial of an adenovirus-based vaccine shows it to be safe and immunogenic though protection less than prolonged.
Meanwhile, many countries across Europe and Asia continue to battle outbreaks of several strains.
Saudi Arabian health officials have reported three new MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) infections in recent days, two of them involving exposure to camels. All three patients have symptoms and are in stable condition, officials said.
A new study has found that a quarter of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from a nationwide network of hospitals are resistant to carbapenem antibiotics.
Texas reports another local Zika case as DNA vaccine is successful in phase 1 trial.
Also, officials in France, Sweden, Finland, and Germany report more H5N8.
Experts are particularly concerned about the increase in sales of medically important antibiotics.
The shortened treatment didn't just come with clinical drawbacks. It also didn't improve antibiotic resistance rates.
The federal government is for the first time cutting Medicare payments to hospitals that have high rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile, according to Kaiser Health News.
Also, France, Switzerland, and Poland report more H5N8, and France notes low-path H5N1 and H5N9 avian flu.
In other developments, research teams describe viral levels in semen and thrombocytopenia as a complication.
The Pew Charitable Trusts has released a set of recommendations for how to ensure more appropriate use of antibiotics in animal agriculture.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported two new MERS-CoV cases in Mecca, one of whom is an asymptomatic household contact, according to separate updates yesterday and today.
Officials in France, the Netherlands, and Iran report more high-path H5N8 avian flu outbreaks.
TFAH rated 26 states and Washington, D.C., as 6 or lower on a 10-point scale.
The World Health Organization (WHO) released two reports today detailing the six human cases of H7N9 in mainland China and one in Macau that were previously confirmed by local officials. All but one patient had direct exposure to live poultry.
H5N8 developments are quickly evolving, with the virus spreading to more countries—some battling other strains—with new incursions into poultry flocks.
