Reminding people when it's time to receive immunizations—through postcards, texts, and automated phone calls—can increase vaccination numbers, a team of Cochrane researchers reported today, based on an extensive review of 75 studies from 10 countries. Their findings appear in the Cochrane Library.
Preliminary indications into South Sudan's recent viral hemorrhagic fever outbreak suggest that Rift Valley fever (RVF) may be the cause, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa said in its latest outbreak and health emergencies update.
China has reported its second human H7N9 avian influenza infection of the season, in a 72-year-old man from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region who died from his illness, Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) said in a statement today, based on information from the mainland.
A study shows avian flu virus detections rising in poultry in Cambodian live-bird markets.
It is Iraq's first H5N8 outbreak since 2016, and Afghanistan's first since 2007.
The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) recorded two new cases of MERS-CoV in Riyadh in recent days.
On Jan 5, a 48-year-old Saudi man from the country's capital was diagnosed as having MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) after presenting with symptoms. He is in stable condition. The MOH said the man had direct contact with camels, a known risk factor for MERS-CoV.
Two groups gauge the threat of H5N6 avian flu to mammals and poultry.
A Malaysian man who recently returned from a religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia has been diagnosed as having MERS-CoV.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Dec 11 reported another MERS-CoV infection, in a man from Oman whose asymptomatic case was found during screening when he was transporting camels, some of them infected, into the UAE, according to a Dec 22 update from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The outbreaks involved different strains, including H5N6, H5N1, and H5N8.
