Disease

An outbreak of dengue fever on the Portuguese island of Madeira has worsened as infections of the mosquito-borne disease accelerated. Reported cases of the potentially lethal disease rose to 1,672 as of Nov. 18. The disease is spreading due to many holiday makers returning home. Cases have so far been diagnosed in Britain, mainland Portugal, Germany, Sweden and France. The epidemic is the first sustained outbreak of dengue fever in Europe since the 1920's.

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A coral disease outbreak along Kauai’s North Shore in Hawaii has been described as an epidemic by local scientists due to the large numbers of coral infected (59%). The disease appears to be caused by the large amounts of suspended solids in the water coming from nearby human habitation.

A diseased piece of rice coral is pictured below. This photo shows a cyanobacterial/fungal disease attacking a piece of coral — the black ring is the disease, and the white area is the coral’s dead skeleton.

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Cholera kills 3 in southern Nigeria. Three people died in the southwestern state of Osun after being infected. Another 42 people were hospitalized in different centers across the region.

Environment

University of Hawaii scientists say a disease outbreak amongst the island's coral at Hanalei Bay on Kauai's north shore is killing the coral at an alarming rate. Attempts are being made to stop the spread of the disease by covering the coral with marine putty, to cut the disease off from healthy coral. The underlying causes include overfishing, pollution and sewage spills. Coral is the foundation for the ocean ecosystem, and without it the ecosystem will fail.