Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

Canada's border closures may have stemmed COVID-19 variant imports

Dynamic restrictions on nonessential foreign travel into Canada helped slow COVID-19 variant introductions in early 2020 and 2021, allowing the government more time to scale up vaccination, testing, and contact tracing programs, according to a study published yesterday in eLife.

Non-restrictive stewardship intervention tied to less fluoroquinolone use

A non-restrictive antibiotic stewardship intervention was associated with reduced fluoroquinolone prescribing at two community hospitals in Los Angeles, researchers reported yesterday in Open Forum Infectious Diseases.

Smell and taste loss persists in 5.6% of COVID-19 patients

A systematic review and meta-analysis published yesterday in BMJ estimates that 5.6% of COVID-19 survivors may face long-lasting changes to their sense of smell or taste, adding to concerns about the overall burden of long COVID.

VA intervention linked to better treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria

An antibiotic stewardship intervention for asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) was associated with a reduction in urine cultures and antibiotic use at four Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, researchers reported today in JAMA Network Open.

CDC reports 17 more unexplained hepatitis cases in kids

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it has received 17 more reports of unexplained pediatric hepatitis cases that are under investigation, raising the nation's total to 355.

The number of states reporting cases remained the same, at 42.

High blood viscosity tied to greater risk of death in hospital COVID patients

High estimated blood viscosity (eBV) is significantly associated with greater risk of death from complications among hospitalized COVID-19 patients, suggests a retrospective study published yesterday in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Cancer treatment delays spotlighted in minority groups amid COVID-19

Survey results published yesterday in JAMA Network Open reveal that, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Black and Latino adults in the United States have experienced more delays in cancer care and more worries about treatment costs than their White peers.

Nevada reports its first avian flu outbreak in poultry

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently announced Nevada's first highly pathogenic avian flu outbreak in poultry, which struck a backyard flock in Carson City housing 40 birds.

Outbreaks involving the H5N1 strain have now been reported in 37 states and have led to the loss of more than 40 million birds.

Cases of kids with COVID-19 and croup rose amid Omicron surge

A new study shows that the proportion of children diagnosed as having COVID-19 and croup was significantly higher during the Omicron surge than in earlier waves dominated by other variants.

Croup is an upper airway infection generally affecting children. It causes swelling around the larynx, trachea, and bronchi, resulting in labored breathing and a "barking" cough.

Flu continues rise in Oceana, southern Africa

Flu activity is rising in some of the Southern Hemisphere's temperate countries, including Australia, New Zealand, and southern Africa. At the global level, however, levels are declining following a March peak, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a global flu update that roughly covers the first half of June.

Other areas seeing rises are Chile and southern China, where H3N2 is the dominant strain.