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WHO confirms details on Nepal's first H5N1 avian flu case

The World Health Organization (WHO) office in Nepal yesterday shared more details about the country's first human H5N1 avian flu infection, a fatal case first reported by local media outlets.

DRC Ebola total grows by 10; newly affected areas linked to Beni

The rate of Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) outbreak shows a slight decline, with Beni and Mandima still remaining as the main hot spots, according to a weekly outbreak and emergencies report from the World Health Organization (WHO) African regional office that covers cases through Aug 17.

Three new polio cases noted as WHO details Myanmar outbreak

Afghanistan has one more wild poliovirus (WPV) case, and Angola and Ghana each have one more vaccine-derived polio case, according to the latest weekly update today from the Global Polio Eradication Initiate (GPEI).

The three new cases come during the same week Nigeria reached the 3-year mark of no WPV transmission.

DRC Ebola total grows by 6 cases, to 2,983

Six more Ebola cases were confirmed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Ebola outbreak, raising the overall total to 2,983, according to numbers reflected today on the World Health Organization (WHO) online Ebola dashboard.

Health officials are still investigating 397 suspected infections. Four more people died from their infections, bringing the fatality count to 1,990.

Genentech reports promising findings for baloxavir flu treatment in children

Genentech, part of the Roche Group, yesterday announced promising phase 3 trial findings for the use of one-dose baloxavir marboxil (Xofluza) to safely treat flu in children, according to results presented on Sep 1 during the Options X Congress in Singapore.

Facebook announces new steps to combat vaccine misinformation

Facebook yesterday announced the launch of new features to battle vaccine misinformation on Facebook and Instagram, a move that was applauded by the World Health Organization (WHO).

California bill toughening medical vaccine exemptions signed into law

California Governor Gavin Newsom yesterday signed two bills that limit medical exemptions for vaccines in schoolchildren.

Massive DRC measles outbreak picks up more speed

A massive measles outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) accelerated again over the past few weeks, with spread to new areas, the World Health Organization (WHO) African regional office said yesterday in its weekly outbreaks and emergencies report.

DRC tracks 3 more Ebola cases, 3,194 total

Today the World Health Organization (WHO) dashboard shows 3 new Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which raise the outbreak total to 3,194 cases, including 2,133 deaths. A total of 346 suspected cases are still under investigation.

Also today the DRC’s multisector Ebola committee (CMRE) said three cases yesterday originated in Kalunguta, Mambasa, and Mandima—all current virus hot spots.

Flu shows more Southern Hemisphere signs of decline

As the Southern Hemisphere nears the end of its typical flu season, influenza activity continues to decline, with a second wave of activity in Chile—mainly from influenza B—slowing, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its latest global flu update.

Flu drug receives expanded approval for use in high-risk patients

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use single-dose Xofluza (baloxavir marboxil) for patients ages 12 and over who are at high risk for influenza complications. Xofluza should only be administered to patients who have been symptomatic for 48 hours or less.

Ebola case count hits 3,250 in the DRC

According to the World Health Organization's (WHO's) Ebola dashboard today, officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) confirmed 2 new cases of Ebola in a 14-month-long outbreak in that country, raising the total to 3,250 infections.

As reported yesterday, 117 of the cases are considered probable infections. The DRC's Ebola technical committee (CMRE) has not yet posted information on the four new cases described yesterday.

Chronic wasting disease found in 2 North Dakota deer, 1 in Badlands

Officials in North Dakota confirmed chronic wasting disease (CWD) in two mule deer hunted in McKenzie County in the Badlands and in Divide County on the Canadian border. The former represents the first documented CWD case in the Badlands, while the disease was first detected in Divide County last fall.

CDC reports first 2 pediatric flu deaths of the 2019-20 flu season

In its weekly flu update today, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the first pediatric flu deaths of the new season and noted that the nation's flu activity increased slightly last week but is still at low levels.

Four more Ebola cases reported in DRC, 3,268 total

In a continuation of the steady stream of Ebola cases recorded in recent days in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the World Health Organization (WHO) Ebola dashboard shows 4 new cases today, raising the outbreak total to 3,268, a number that includes 117 probable cases.

Another 400 suspected cases are still under investigation. No new deaths were recorded, so the fatality total stands at 2,181.

DRC confirms 1 more Ebola case, raising total to 3,273

One new case was reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Ebola outbreak today, nudging the outbreak total to 3,273, according to numbers reflected on the World Health Organization (WHO) online Ebola dashboard. Health officials are still investigating 500 suspected cases, and the number of deaths held steady at 2,183.

DRC confirms 7 more Ebola cases, lifting total to 3,282

After going 2 days with no new cases, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) today reported 7 new lab-confirmed cases and 1 additional probable infection, raising the overall outbreak total to 3,282, which includes 118 probable cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) online Ebola dashboard.

Health officials are still investigating 447 suspected Ebola cases.

MERS infects 2 more in Saudi Arabia, 1 fatally

In updates yesterday and today, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported two more MERS-CoV cases, one of them fatal and both from Riyadh.

One of the patients is a 33-year-old man whose contact with camels isn't known. He is not a health worker, and his exposure is listed as primary, meaning he probably didn't contract MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) from another patient.

Saudi Arabia tracks 8th MERS case this month

In an update today, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported one new MERS-CoV case, in a man from Riyadh. The case is Saudi Arabia's eighth this month.

Study: Baloxavir-resistant influenza A can spread without virulence loss

An analysis of flu viruses during Japan's 2019 flu season suggests that 2009 H1N1 and H3N2 viruses can rapidly acquire the I38T mutation in the polymerase acidic (PA) protein, which has been linked to reduce susceptibility to baloxavir marboxil, a new antiviral. A team based Japan reported their findings yesterday in Nature Microbiology.

Study finds combination of antivirals may aid in recovery from severe flu

Patients with severe flu treated with a combination of the antiviral drugs favipiravir and oseltamivir compared with oseltamivir (Tamiflu) alone had faster recoveries, according to findings published today in The Journal of Infectious Diseases.

GPEI notes 22 vaccine-derived polio cases, 3 WPV1 infections 

According to the latest weekly update from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) today, Pakistan tracked three new cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) this past week, while several African and Pacific island nations reported a total of 22 vaccine-derived polio cases.

Study: The common cold and flu appear to cancel each other out

Today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) British authors offered evidence supporting a long-observed phenomenon of the cold and flu season: Having either a rhinovirus or influenza makes a person less likely to contract the other virus.

Ebola sickens 3 more in the DRC; new case reported in Butembo

Three more Ebola cases have been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), raising the outbreak total to 3,354 cases, according to numbers reflected on the World Health Organization (WHO) online Ebola dashboard.

Health officials are still investigating 488 suspected cases. Also, 3 more people died from their infections, lifting the fatality count to 2,220.

Flu continues to rise in several Northern Hemisphere countries

Flu levels continued to rise in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Asia, with some countries reporting higher than normal influenza B activity, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Dec 20 in its latest global flu update.