Disease

Unprecedented TB outbreak in Papua New Guinea

On Daru Island in Papua New Guinea, there is a significant and ongoing outbreak of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). It is spreading throughout the country and could possibly move to Australia.

Conservative estimates show that 1 percent of the population of Daru is sick with MDR-TB. This translates to about 150 cases per year in a population of 15,000. As a point of comparison, an outbreak on nearby Chuuk Island, one that the CDC was able to get under control, had 26 cases in a population of 108,000.

In one community in South Africa, Khayelitsha, there are about 200 MDR-TB cases a year, with a population of about 400,000 and an HIV prevalence above 20 percent.

Since Daru has almost no HIV—which greatly increases the risk of contracting MDR-TB—the number of cases there is even more staggering.

Britain hit by severe Spring flu outbreak

A flu outbreak is sweeping the country as the number of people struck down reaches a five-year high.

Public Health England (PHE) is warning people to be aware of the risk of flu over the Easter period after the latest figures reveal numbers are continuing to rise, with more than 320 people admitted to hospital in the last two weeks - four times the normal figure.

It says the under-45s seem to be most at risk. Rates are highest in the 15 to 44 age group, followed closely by children aged five to 14.