Category: Emerging Infectious Diseases
A critic of the U.S. response speaks out, and USDA tries to ‘corner the virus’
STAT Seth Berkley, the former head of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, gave voice last week to a point of view STAT has been hearing for a while about the U.S. response to the H5N1 bird flu outbreak in dairy cows. “It’s been shocking to watch the ineptitude,” Berkley, an American currently living in Switzerland, said at an event on […]
Jun 18, 2024
Epidemiologic Features of Recovery From SARS-CoV-2 Infection
JAMA Key Points Question What variables are associated with time to recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection? Findings In this cohort study of 4708 participants in a US meta-cohort, the median self-reported time to recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection was 20 days, and an estimated 22.5% had not recovered by 90 days. Women and adults with suboptimal prepandemic health, particularly […]
Jun 18, 2024
New Long COVID Definition Proposed by National Academies
MedPageToday A new reportopens in a new tab or window from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) offers a new definition of long COVID in an effort to streamline the diagnosis and treatment of the condition, which has serious medical, social, and economic consequences for patients, according to the authoring committee. Long COVID should […]
Jun 12, 2024
Mosquitoes With West Nile Virus Surround Las Vegas in Record Numbers
Time Some people may want to put their summer vacation plans to the Las Vegas area on hold, after health officials reported that Southern Nevada is experiencing the highest level of mosquito activity in known history, with more than 3,000 mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile virus. Southern Nevada Health District said in a press release Monday that as of […]
Jun 12, 2024
Tiger mosquitoes behind dengue fever rise in Europe
BBC An invasive species of mosquito has set up home in 13 countries in the EU, including France, Spain and Greece, with experts linking their presence to a rise in dengue fever in Europe. Climate change is creating favourable conditions for the tiger mosquito to spread, said the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control […]
Jun 12, 2024
South Africa records first mpox death after five cases confirmed
Reuters A 37-year-old man has become South Africa’s first recorded death from mpox after five laboratory-confirmed cases of the viral infection were recorded in the past month, the health minister said on Wednesday. The man died in Tembisa Hospital on Monday, Health Minister Joe Phaahla told a news conference. Mpox spreads through close contact, causing […]
Jun 12, 2024
Dairy cattle test positive for bird flu in Minnesota, Iowa and Wyoming for first time
Wisconsin State Farmer In a matter of days, the number of states with dairy herds testing positive for bird flu has grown from nine to 12. The Wyoming Department of Agriculture (WDA) confirmed the presence of the virus in dairy cattle in the Equality State on June 7. Other states reporting outbreaks in the last […]
Jun 11, 2024
Covid cases in Hawaii are on the rise, take these precautions
KHON ovid cases are on the rise in Hawaii. State health officials said it’s not a time to panic, but maybe start thinking about taking some precautions. “Right now, it’s Covid that is showing us in the red or the high zone,” said Dr. Sarah Kimble, State Epidemiologist. “What that means is we’re seeing higher […]
Jun 11, 2024
Detections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Mammals
USDA There are many species that are potentially susceptible to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). In addition to birds and poultry, H5N1 viruses have been detected in some mammals (see list below). Infection may cause illness, including severe disease and death in some cases.
Jun 5, 2024
New Report Underscores the Seriousness of Long Covid
NYT The National Academies said the condition could involve up to 200 symptoms, make it difficult for people to work and last for months or years. One of the nation’s premier medical advisory organizations has weighed in on long Covid with a 265-page report that recognizes the seriousness and persistence of the condition for millions of Americans. […]
Jun 5, 2024