Disease

Meningitis in Ghana

Seven more Ghanaians have died from the deadly Meningitis disease, raising the death toll to 100 in nine out of 10 regions. Authorities earlier declared the outbreak in Brong Ahafo an epidemic and put the country’s health facilities on high alert.

More Zika through Sex Cases

U.S. health officials are investigating more than a dozen possible Zika infections that may have been spread through sex.

The 14 cases all involve men who visited areas with Zika outbreaks, and who may have infected their female sex partners, who had not traveled to those areas.

Zika virus is mainly spread by mosquito bites, and sexual transmission has been considered rare. There have been two reported cases, including a recent one in Texas, and at least two other reports of the Zika virus found in semen.

Nigeria - Mystery Diseaase

The mystery disease that was reported to have killed 20 children in Eti-Osa in Lagos State has now been identified as measles. Authorities blame poor sanitation in the slum areas where the disease manifested. No new cases have been reported.

Disease

Meningitis in Ghana

Seven more Ghanaians have died from the deadly Meningitis disease, raising the death toll to 100 in nine out of 10 regions. Authorities earlier declared the outbreak in Brong Ahafo an epidemic and put the country’s health facilities on high alert.

More Zika through Sex Cases

U.S. health officials are investigating more than a dozen possible Zika infections that may have been spread through sex.

The 14 cases all involve men who visited areas with Zika outbreaks, and who may have infected their female sex partners, who had not traveled to those areas.

Zika virus is mainly spread by mosquito bites, and sexual transmission has been considered rare. There have been two reported cases, including a recent one in Texas, and at least two other reports of the Zika virus found in semen.

Nigeria - Mystery Diseaase

The mystery disease that was reported to have killed 20 children in Eti-Osa in Lagos State has now been identified as measles. Authorities blame poor sanitation in the slum areas where the disease manifested. No new cases have been reported.

Disease

Zika virus infection – United States of America - United States Virgin Islands

On 25 January 2016, the National IHR Focal Point for the United States of America notified PAHO/WHO of the first laboratory-confirmed cases of Zika virus infection in St. Croix, one of the three main islands in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI).

Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus – Lao People’s Democratic Republic

On 17 January 2016, the National IHR Focal Point (NFP) of Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) notified WHO of 2 additional cases of vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (VDPV1). Both cases are from Longsane district, Xaisomboun Province.

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Thailand

On 24 January 2016, the National IHR Focal Point of Thailand notified WHO of 1 laboratory-confirmed case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. This is the country’s second case of MERS-CoV infection (see DON published on 10 July 2015).

Bird Flu in Nigeria

Avian Influenza, popularly referred to as bird flu, is now in 18 states in Nigeria and has affected over 2.5 million chickens and is spreading fast.

By the last count, as of yesterday (Thursday), not less than 2.5 million chickens have been infected and over 700 farms have been affected nationwide. From one incidence in one state and moving to two states, it has increased and by now it is in not less than 18 states - according to local health authorities.

Newcastle Disease in the Philippines

The confirmation of an outbreak of the contagious and fatal Newcastle disease (ND) virus in Tarlac has spurred the Department of Agriculture (DA) to urge poultry stakeholders and fighting cock aficionados not to transport their animals to other regions.

Meningitis Outbreak in Ghana

Health authorities in central Ghana have denied that there is a meningitis outbreak in the country's Ashanti region.

The Ashanti regional health directorate claimed that they were only nine people who had tested positive after critical tests were done, according to Citi News.

Reports, however, indicate that at least 32 people have died in the west African country since the outbreak of the disease four weeks ago.

According to Ghana web, more than 100 cases of Pneumococcal Meningitis have been reported in the country's southern region of Brong-Ahafo region.

Disease

Typhoid in Johannesburg, South Africa

The Gauteng Health Department has confirmed four cases of typhoid fever in Johannesburg, which has claimed the life of one person.

Two cases were identified at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, while the other two were picked up at Edenvale Hospital. A 27-year-old Malawian woman died last week Sunday. It’s understood she had travelled to her home country for the holiday period last month - and returned to South Africa through Mozambique.

Meningitis Outbreak in Ghana

Two people have died after being infected with Pneumococcal Meningitis in the Offinso Municipality of the Ashanti region.

A week after the disease killed nine people in the Brong Ahafo region, five others died in Bole in the Northern region.

About 22 people have been confirmed dead out of the 57 reported cases since the beginning of the outbreak of the disease in the Northern and Brong Ahafo Regions.

Disease

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)

Between 19 and 30 June 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 6 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection.

Between 1 and 3 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of 2 additional confirmed case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

Meningococcal disease outbreak - Thailand.

An outbreak of meningococcal disease has killed one patient in Satun province, Thailand. 22 locals who recently developed a fever are being monitored by provincial health units for a period of 20 days. Health officials who came in contact with those under surveillance have also been given medication to curb the spread.

Disease

Meningitis in Niger - Update

The meningococcal disease outbreak in the Africa Meningitis Belt country of Niger has peaked, according to officials at the World Health Organization. To date, 8,234 people have contracted the serious bacterial disease with 545, or 6.6% of those infected losing their lives.

According to a Reuters report today, the spread of the disease peaked in the week to May 10, when there were 2,189 cases and 132 deaths. In the last week of the month there were 264 cases and 8 deaths.

Niger sits in what is called the “meningitis belt” that stretches across sub-Saharan Africa. PATH, the global health international nonprofit organization says about 450 million people are living in the “meningitis belt” are at risk of contracting meningococcus type A, the strain most commonly found in the region.

Disease

Mystery Respiratory Illness Infects 7, Kills 2 in Alabama, USA

All of the victims have shown signs of fever, cough and shortness of breath, but the Alabama Department of Public Health hasn’t been able to identify the disease. Officials collected samples from all of the victims and sent them to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, but results aren’t available yet. One of the test samples tested positive for H1N1 influenza A, but officials aren’t sure if that’s what caused the illness.

UPDATE - Unusual pathogens ruled out in Alabama illness cluster. Test results on a cluster of Alabama patients hospitalized with similar respiratory symptoms indicated no unusual pathogens but instead a variety of common respiratory viruses and bacteria, a combination of influenza A, rhinovirus, and bacterial pneumonia, state health officials announced Thursday.

Meningitis in Princeton, New Jersey, USA

The state health department has officially declared a meningitis outbreak at Princeton University after the fourth case of the disease since March was linked to the school.

Disease

China Bird Flu - Update

TH7N9 bird flu is a 'serious threat' - researchers warn. The outbreak of a new type of bird flu in China poses a "serious threat" to human health, but it is still too soon to predict how far it will spread. H7N9 is the 'nastiest virus in humans in years.'

Of the 126 people known to be infected so far, 24 have died, with many more still severely ill in hospital. The H7N9 virus has not, however, yet proved able to spread between people - which limits its global threat. The threat should be "treated calmly, but seriously", researchers advise.

There is concern over both the pace and severity of the outbreak. There has been a relatively high number of known infections since the first case was detected in April.

How the virus spreads is key. As long as it can spread only from a bird to a person through direct contact it posses a relatively small risk globally - particularly in richer countries where such contact is rare. If it can spread from one person to another then the threat becomes much more potent. This has not yet happened and it is impossible to tell whether it will happen tomorrow or never.

The infection results in severe pneumonia and even blood poisoning and organ failure. "The WHO considers this a serious threat, but we don't know at this stage whether this is going to spread from human to human." So far nearly all cases have been traced back to contact with poultry. If the virus adapts to spread readily between people it will pose a much greater threat and scientists warn that the virus is mutating rapidly.

Meningitis in Sudan

An outbreak of Meningitis in South Sudan's Upper Nile has been declared by local authorities, after the disease reportedly killed two people in its Malakal county. At least 38 suspected cases have been confirmed.

Disease

Vietnam hand, foot and mouth disease outbreak surges past 100 000 cases. The CDC issues travel advisory.

31 people have now died and 424 have been sickened in the fungal meningitis outbreak linked to tainted steroid injections in the U.S.

Disease

Marburg haemorrhagic fever in Uganda - update. As of 28 October 2012, a total of 18 cases and 9 deaths, including a health worker, have been reported from 5 districts namely Kabale district, in south-western Uganda, Kampala (the capital city), Ibanda, Mbarara and Kabarole.

U.S. meningitis death toll rises to 29 with fatality in Virginia.

Canada, Switzerland lift ban on Novartis flu vaccines.

Disease

New tuberculosis, (TB) cases fall by 2.2 percent globally according to the WHO. An antibiotic used to treat severe bacterial infections has shown promise at treating the highly drug-resistant and deadly form of tuberculosis, which threatens to derail progress in fighting the disease.

The number of deaths from the fungal meningitis outbreak in USA linked to contaminated steroid medications has risen to 19, just hours after federal agents raided the offices of the company at the center of the scandal and took away documents.

Disease

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported two more deaths linked to the outbreak of fungal meningitis from steroid shots for back pain, bringing to 14 the total number of people who have died from these infections.

Outbreak of dengue fever hits Madeira. Eighteen people are confirmed to be suffering from dengue fever in the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira and another 191 probably have the mosquito-borne disease which is also called "breakbone fever" because of the severe pain it can cause.