Polio

New MERS case reported in Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a new case of MERS-CoV infection in Az Zulfi in the central part of the country near Riyadh.

Madagascar's plague total tops 2,000 but outbreak shows signs of decline

Madagascar's plague total has grown to 2,034 cases, an increase of 87 since the last update from the World Health Organization (WHO), but no new suspected pneumonic cases or deaths were reported from Nov 7 to Nov 8. Overall, the rate of new cases and hospitalizations has been declining since the middle of October, the WHO said in the latest situation report today.

CDC reports 3 variant flu cases, with possible human-to-human spread in 1

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today reported three new infections involving novel influenza A viruses, two of them variant H3N2 (H3N2v) and one variant H1N2 (H1N2v), with possible human-to-human transmission in one of the cases.

H5N8 strikes poultry, zoo bird in South Africa

South Africa reported four more outbreaks involving highly pathogenic H5N8, two in poultry and two in other captive bird settings, according to two reports today from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

More suspected cases identified in Uganda's Marburg virus outbreak

The World Health Organization (WHO) said today that it is involved with efforts to curb a Marburg virus outbreak in eastern Uganda near the border with Kenya, where at least one case has been confirmed and several hundred people may have been exposed at health facilities and at a traditional burial ceremony.

WHO condemns attack on Syrian vaccine supply 

The World Health Organization (WHO) today said it has received word of an attack at medical facilities in Syria that destroyed the only vaccines cold room in a district where several polio cases have been reported over the past several months.

Syria reports 7 new vaccine-derived polio cases

Syria has confirmed seven new cases involving vaccine-derived poliovirus 2 (cVDPV2) infection and Pakistan has reported four detections of wild poliovirus 1 (WPV1) in environmental samples, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) said today in its weekly update.

WHO announces 3 candidate vaccine viruses for pandemic preparedness

The World Health Organization (WHO) advisory committee that reviewed the most recent influenza developments and recommended strains for the Southern Hemisphere's 2018 flu season also looked at the newest genetic findings with zoonotic influenza viruses and recommended three new candidate vaccine viruses (CVVs).

New case of MERS-CoV found in United Arab Emirates 

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported a new case of MERS-CoV to the World Health Organization (WHO), according to a WHO update yesterday.

A 78-year-old man from Al Ain was hospitalized on Aug 11 with symptoms of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. The man was not a healthcare worker, but no other details of his exposure or risk factors were available at this time.

Saudi Arabia reports new MERS case in Riyadh

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) reported another new case of MERS-CoV in Riyadh today.

A 48-year-old male expatriate from the capital city was diagnosed as having MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) after presenting with symptoms of the virus. He is in critical condition. The man's source of infection is listed as "pimary," meaning it's unlikely he contracted the virus from another person.