Disease

Anthrax in Kenya

A slaughterhouse in Makongeni, Thika has been shut down after six people were admitted at Thika level 5 Hospital following an anthrax outbreak suspected to have emanated from the abattoir.

Brazil declares end to Zika emergency after fall in cases

Brazil declared an end to its public health emergency over the Zika virus on Thursday, 18 months after a surge in cases drew headlines around the world.

The mosquito-borne virus wasn't considered a major health threat until the 2015 outbreak revealed that Zika can lead to severe birth defects. One of those defects, microcephaly, causes babies to be born with skulls much smaller than expected.

From January through mid-April, the Health Ministry recorded 95% fewer cases than during the same period last year. The incidence of microcephaly has fallen as well.

Cholera in Yemen

The United Nations on Thursday confirmed 58 cases of cholera and 47 cholera-associated deaths across war-torn Yemen in the past two weeks, the second such outbreak in a year.