President Trump yesterday signed bipartisan legislation reauthorizing the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovations Act (PAHPA), which plays a crucial role in preparing the country for natural or manmade biological threats such as pandemic flu or a bioterror attack.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean regional office (EMRO) recently published its monthly snapshot of MERS-CoV activity, which covers 14 cases reported for May and one cluster, all in Saudi Arabia.
Of the 14 patients, 4 died from their MERS-CoV Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) infections, all of them men who had underlying health conditions.
The national preparedness index score was 6.7 out of 10 in 2018, a 3.1% improvement.
The US Department of Human Services (HHS) said yesterday that Ned Sharpless, MD, will serve as acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), replacing Scott Gottlieb, MD, who announced his resignation on Mar 5 after less than 2 years in the position.
In updates for epidemiologic weeks 10 and 11, the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) announced five new cases of MERS-CoV today and over the weekend, including two in Wadi ad-Dawasir, the site of an ongoing hospital-based outbreak.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) recorded two cases of MERS-CoV in young women from Khamis Mushait in an update to its epidemiologic week 10 report.
The first patient is a 33-year-old woman who is listed as a secondary case, meaning she likely contracted MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) from another sick person. She did not report recent camel contact, the MOH said.
MSF calls a revised CEPI policy on vaccine access "toothless and weak."
Saudi Arabia's steady rise in MERS-CoV cases continued today, with one more illness reported that appears to be part of a hospital outbreak in Wadi ad-Dawasir, according to a Ministry of Health (MOH) update to its epidemiologic week 10 report.
Scott Gottlieb, MD, announced today that he will resign as commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the coming weeks to spend more time with his family.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today it has wrapped up its investigation into a Salmonella Concord outbreak tied to tahini imported from Israel after eight cases were confirmed in four states.
