Disease

Yellow Fever - Brazil

The discovery of one dead monkey infected with yellow fever on the north side of Brazil’s largest city has prompted São Paulo health authorities to launch a massive vaccination campaign.

The virus responsible for the disease has been blamed for at least 261 Brazilian deaths since December, almost entirely in the southeast of the country.

The mosquito-borne disease originated in Africa and was discovered to be back in Brazil after hundreds of dead monkeys were found infected in the country’s Atlantic rainforest late last year.

Yellow fever is one of the world’s most deadly tropical diseases, causing symptoms such as muscle aches and fever, progressing to liver damage and kidney failure.

Typhoid - North Korea

A typhoid outbreak that began in June in the North Korean province of Ryanggang, on the China border, has the country’s health officials struggling to contain the spread of the diseas While there is scant detail on the outbreak, the report notes that typhoid related deaths are increasing among the older people.

The outbreak is attributable to the North’s poor water supply, sewerage system and the Yalu River as many local residents in Ryanggang Province drink the water from the river without boiling it.

Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – China

On 8 and 15 September 2017, the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China (NHFPC) notified WHO of two additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus in China.

Trichinosis - Russia

At least 17 people, including several children have contracted the parasitic infection, trichinosis, after eating smoked brown bear cub in Kataiga village in the Tomsk region of Russia. Local hunters gifted the meat to villagers. Some meat was smoked, some salted. In total, 29 cases of poisoning were detected in the region.

Trichinellosis, or trichinosis is a parasitic disease caused most commonly by the roundworm Trichinella spiralis. If someone ingests undercooked or raw meat with the encysted larvae, the stomach acid releases the larvae which mature to adults in the intestine.

African Countries Should Prepare For Black Death - WHO

South Africa is among nine countries identified by the World Health Organisation as priority areas to be prepared for the plague as the deadly disease spreads through Madagascar. Madagascar, which has travel and trade ties to South Africa, has experienced a large outbreak of plague, also known as the "black death", since August.

The disease has claimed 124 lives in Madagascar since August 1, according to reports, and about 1200 suspected, probable and confirmed cases have been recorded so far.

WHO said countries should remain prepared - because of their travel and trade links with Madagascar. The list included Ethiopia, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Réunion, Seychelles, South Africa and Tanzania.