Category Archive

Recent reports indicate that the multi-year, global outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus has reached the state of Texas.
In late March 2024, the Texas Animal Health Commission announced that dairy cattle in the Texas Panhandle had tested positive for avian influenza A(H5N1).
Subsequently, on April 1, 2024, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reported one confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus in Texas. The affected person had direct exposure to dairy cattle suspected of being infected with avian influenza.

During a recent UN Geneva press briefing, two World Health Organization (WHO) leaders confirmed that the overall health situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is worsening.
On March 22, 2024, Dr. Boureima Hama Sambo, the WHO Representative to the DRC, and Dr. Rosamund Lewis, the WHO Technical Lead for Mpox, highlighted that the country's challenges have reached alarming levels.
According to the WHO, close to 20 million people will require health assistance in 2024, yet the health response remains severely underfunded. 

During a recent UN Geneva press briefing, two World Health Organization (WHO) leaders confirmed that the overall health situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is worsening.
On March 22, 2024, Dr. Boureima Hama Sambo, the WHO Representative to the DRC, and Dr. Rosamund Lewis, the WHO Technical Lead for Mpox, highlighted that the country's challenges have reached alarming levels.
According to the WHO, close to 20 million people will require health assistance in 2024, yet the health response remains severely underfunded. 

Despite being both preventable and curable, tuberculosis (TB) remains a global health risk. Last year, TB continued to be a leading cause of death worldwide.
Traditionally, the United States had one of the lowest TB rates globally.
Unfortunately, TB cases in the U.S. have now increased for four consecutive years amidst the worldwide resurgence of this contagious disease, which usually affects the lungs, as reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

With over 5 million dengue cases and more than 5,000 related deaths reported in 2023, most health officials have become very focused on the progress of this mosquito-transmitted disease.
Why are dengue fever outbreaks back in the news in 2024? Why are we seeing it in areas where it did not exist before? And what about treatment? What about vaccination?
Dr. Raman Velayudhan answered these questions posed by Vismita Gupta-Smith during a World Health Organization (WHO) Science in 5 interview (Episode #115) on March 27, 2024.

A recent report suggests that the United States needs to take action to improve its capability to handle smallpox and related outbreaks.
The report, published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on March 26, 2024, highlights the need to enhance diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics that could be used in the event of an outbreak.
The report also notes that changes in population and advancements in gene editing and synthesis technologies have significantly increased the likelihood of a smallpox outbreak or attack.

As international travel rebounds in 2024, the Region of the Americas is expected to receive about 10% more visitors than in 2019. While this is excellent news for the tourism industry, disease outbreaks are also being reported.
In the Americas, there is a high risk of yellow fever outbreaks in 2024.

According to a recent report by the AP, Puerto Rico's health secretary declared an outbreak of dengue virus this week, indicating a concerning trend for 2024.
Puerto Rico joins several countries in the Region of the Americas facing an upsurge in dengue cases.

During the recent pandemic, the U.S. government made an important decision to allow pharmacists to work with healthcare providers to increase access to vaccinations, especially in areas that lacked sufficient medical professionals.
This decision has proved valuable, as it is now facilitating the delivery of new COVID-19 vaccines in areas reporting increased hospitalizations in March 2024.
Nationally, the U.S. CDC's wastewater monitoring system indicates SARS-CoV-2 activity level is currently low.