Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

Saudi Arabia, Oman record new MERS cases

Today health officials in Saudi Arabia and Oman reported one new case of MERS-CoV each. This is the sixth case recorded in recent weeks in Oman; in Saudi Arabia, the new case is possibly linked to an ongoing hospital outbreak in Wadi ad-Dawasir.

According to the Muscat Daily yesterday, the Omani Ministry of Health tweeted that a new patient had been diagnosed as having MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus).

MERS sickens three more in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's health ministry today reported three more MERS-CoV cases, two of them linked to ongoing outbreak activity in Wadi ad-Dawasir in the south-central part of the country.

CDC confirms 9 new acute flaccid myelitis cases for 2018

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today confirmed 9 new cases of the polio-like condition known as acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), boosting the 2018 numbers to 210. The agency also noted that 7 patients so far this year are under investigation for AFM.

Oman and Saudi Arabia report new MERS cases

Two Middle East countries reported new MERS-CoV cases today, including four in Oman and one in Saudi Arabia, according to separate health ministry announcements.

Study: Flu vaccine offers 68% protection in Canada, 72% against H1N1

Today in Eurosurveillance, researchers published the first estimates of vaccine effectiveness (VE) for the 2018-19 seasonal flu vaccine administered in Canada, showing that overall VE was 68% in a season driven by influenza A(H1N1) viruses and 72% against the predominant strain.

Washington state measles outbreak sickens 22; exposures in Portland area

Washington state's Clark County, which is part of the Portland, Ore., metropolitan area, has declared a public health emergency related to a measles outbreak, with 22 cases confirmed so far, along with 3 more suspected cases.

CDC records 3 more acute flaccid myelitis cases, 196 total

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today recorded 3 new cases of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), bringing the total for 2018 to 196 confirmed cases. The confirmed cases are among the 357 reports that CDC received of patients under investigation. 

2018 has seen the most AFM cases of any year since the CDC began tracking the mysterious illness in 2014.

Third case of MERS recorded in Riyadh household cluster

Today Saudi Arabia's ministry of health (MOH) reported a new MERS-CoV case, the third case connected to a household cluster in Riyadh. The notice came in an epidemiologic week 2 notification.

MERS infects 1 more in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's health ministry yesterday reported a new MERS-CoV case, its first of 2019, according to an epidemiological week 1 notification.

The patient is a 54-year-old man from the city of Riyadh who is hospitalized for his MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) illness. An investigation has so far found that he had no contact with camels or another MERS patient.

Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter strains identified in Brazilian ICU

Brazilian researchers report in PLOS One that strains of carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in intensive care unit (ICU) patients at a tertiary teaching hospital were associated with high mortality and several healthcare-related risk factors.