Category: Emerging Infectious Diseases
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 Detected in New London County Backyard Flock
CT Dept of Ag Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) advises that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1, or bird flu, was confirmed in a backyard flock located in New London County on Wednesday, January 15, 2025. The backyard flock, consisting of chickens, ducks, and peacocks, were family pets, not commercial poultry, and had close […]
Jan 22, 2025
Respiratory virus activity remains ‘high’ in US and will ‘continue for several more weeks’: CDC
ABC News Respiratory viruses are continuing to spread across the United States, sickening millions of Americans. Overall respiratory illness activity — including flu, COVID-19 and RSV — continues to be listed as “high” nationwide and is causing people to seek health care “at a high level,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of […]
Jan 22, 2025
‘Bird flu’ outbreak shutters Long Island’s last duck farm, as culling of 99,000 birds is underway
Riverhead Local An outbreak of avian influenza at Crescent Duck Farm in Aquebogue has forced the farm to cease operations and begin to euthanize its entire flock, jeopardizing the future of Long Island’s last remaining duck farm. The presence of the virus, which is highly contagious and deadly among domestic poultry, was confirmed by lab […]
Jan 22, 2025
Bird flu found in a Georgia commercial flock for the first time amid the nationwide outbreak
AP For the first time since the 2022 countrywide outbreak, bird flu hit a poultry producer in Georgia, the nation’s top state for chicken production. The state Department of Agriculture announced Friday that the agency has detected a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza at a commercial poultry producer in Elbert County, approximately 100 miles […]
Jan 22, 2025
Bird flu suspected after dozens of Massachusetts geese found dead
CBS The Billington Sea in Plymouth is a large reservoir that is typically known for its waterfowl. Only this weekend, the water was surrounded with dozens of dead birds believed to have contracted the avian flu that is sweeping the U.S. “We could see that there were deceased Canada geese, ducks, a few other species,” […]
Jan 22, 2025
Tanzania Declares Marburg Outbreak: Africa CDC Mobilizes Immediate Response
Africa CDC ADDIS ABABA, January 20, 2025 – Tanzania has declared a Marburg virus disease (MVD) outbreak after confirming one case and identifying 25 suspected cases in the Kagera Region of Northwestern Tanzania. The Marburg virus, a highly infectious and often fatal disease, is similar to Ebola and is transmitted to humans from fruit bats and […]
Jan 22, 2025
More than a dozen cats dead or sickened by bird flu in raw pet food, FDA says
CBS News More than a dozen cats have been killed or sickened by bird flu that is spreading in raw food products, the Food and Drug Administration says, prompting a federal probe into how the virus got into the pet food supply chain. “The FDA is aware of reports of death or illness associated with uncooked food in 13 […]
Jan 22, 2025
The mystery of why Covid-19 seems to be becoming milder
BBC Covid-19 is now ubiquitous – but hospitalisations seem to be on a downward trajectory. No one knows why. When virologists took their first peek at XEC, the Covid-19 variant which started to become dominant in the autumn of 2024, the early signs were ominous. The latest descendant of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, XEC had arisen […]
Jan 15, 2025
Long COVID indeed: Symptoms linger after illness for four in 10 Minnesotans
Star Tribune State surveyors struggled to get Minnesotans to talk about their post-COVID health, but found a high rate of symptoms such as fatigue and brain fog. Four in 10 Minnesotans who contracted COVID-19 reported in a new state survey that they struggled with lingering health problems like fatigue and brain fog for months after […]
Jan 15, 2025
New suspected Marburg outbreak in Tanzania kills eight – WHO
BBC The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of a suspected new outbreak of the Ebola-like Marburg virus in north-west Tanzania, saying that at least eight people have already been killed by the disease. On Tuesday, the WHO said that nine suspected cases of Marburg were reported in the region of Kagera over the last […]
Jan 15, 2025