Disease

Siberian Anthrax Outbreak - Update

A 12-year-old boy is the first fatality in the anthrax outbreak that recently struck the Yamal Peninsula in northern Siberia, Russia, according to a Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Region government news release. The child died over the weekend from gastrointestinal anthrax, one of the three forms of the serious bacterial infection.

In addition, eight other people have been confirmed positive for the causative agent, Bacillus anthracis. In total, 72 people are now hospitalized at Salekhard hospital with confirmed or suspected anthrax

In addition to the human anthrax cases, the number of reindeer with suspected anthrax that died has nearly doubled to almost 2,400.

Zika Virus - Miami, Florida, USA

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention issued an unprecedented travel warning Monday, advising pregnant women and their partners not to travel to a small community just north of downtown Miami, where Zika is actively circulating.