Researchers have found no elevated risk of autism in babies born to woman in Norway infected with influenza during pregnancy, a study yesterday in mSphere reported.
The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed the diagnosis of three new cases of MERS-CoV in recent days, including one case in an asymptomatic healthcare worker at a hospital in Riyadh. At least three hospitals in Riyadh have reported MERS outbreaks this month.
Today the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a new case of MERS-CoV related to ongoing outbreaks in three Riyadh hospitals.
A 68-year-old male expatriate who had preexisting disease has died from MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus). He acquired the virus as a patient in a hospital.
Researchers looking for mutations that might make H7N9 avian influenza more easily transmissible among people identified three amino acid changes that would make the virus more likely to bind to human airway receptors. A team of researchers from the United States, including those from The Scripps Research Institute, and the Netherlands reported its findings today in PLoS Pathogens.
In addition, Korea, Zimbabwe, and Luxembourg note H5N8, and Libya confirms H7.
Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection confirms 12 H7N9 cases reported this week.
Two countries reported more highly pathogenic avian flu outbreaks: H5N8 in Russia and H5N2 in South Korea, according to notifications today from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
Russia's outbreak began on May 4 in backyard birds in the Republic of Tatarstan in the west. The virus killed 13 of 51 birds, and authorities culled the remaining ones as part of the response measures.
The World Health Organization (WHO) in its latest update reported a new suspected case of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), prompting the surveillance of 15 additional contacts. The suspected case is from the Ngayi health area, in northern DRC.
Reassuringly, the disease doesn't seem more severe than in the earlier 4 waves.
South Korea, Belgium, and the United Kingdom all report new H5N8 avian flu outbreaks.
