Disease

Zika virus infection – Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

On 25 February 2016, the National IHR Focal Point of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines notified PAHO/WHO of the country’s first case of Zika virus infection.

Syphilis Outbreak in Law Vegas, USA

Nevada is experiencing the highest rate of syphilis in the Western U.S. following an outbreak in Las Vegas.

It's part of a national spike in cases tied to increased testing, a rise in anonymous sex via social media and less consistent use of condoms, health officials say.

Clark County health officials declared an outbreak in Las Vegas last week after noting a 128 percent increase in reported syphilis cases since 2012 — with 615 of the 694 cases involving men diagnosed last year. This makes Nevada's rate of syphilis the highest in the Western U.S.

There has been an uptick in other parts of Nevada, too, but that could be tied to a population increase, the state health department said. Meanwhile, youth in the state are having sex at younger ages and using condoms inconsistently or improperly.

Disease

Zika virus infection – Suriname

On 2 November 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of Suriname notified PAHO/WHO of 2 autochthonous cases of Zika virus infection.

Syphilis in Queensland, Australia.

Northern Australia is facing the biggest syphilis outbreak in 30 years, with the rate of the disease in indigenous teenagers aged 15 to 19 almost tripling since 2010. More than 500 Queenslanders have contracted the disease.

Disease

Syphilis in Northern Territory, Australia

The NT's Centre for Disease Control (CDC) said there had been 134 reported cases of the sexually transmitted disease in the Central Australia, Barkly and Katherine regions since July last year.

Children as young as 12 are testing positive for syphilis in an outbreak of the disease affecting young Indigenous people in the Northern Territory. The majority of the notified cases are in Indigenous people aged 15 to 19.

Disease

Syphilis outbreak in Houston and Harris County, Texas, USA. From January to August this year, there were 318 cases. Houston's last syphilis outbreak occurred in 2007. Syphilis begins with a raised sore. Three weeks later, that goes away and a rash begins and after that, it can go internal, but still affects the brain, heart and skin. It is easily cured with a single shot of penicillin.

Ebola virus outbreak in DR Congo continues. A total of 79 cases had been recorded, including 19 confirmed positive after laboratory analysis, 32 probable cases and 28 suspected cases, while 33 deaths were registered by September 25. The disease is transmitted by direct contact with blood, faeces and sweat, by sexual contact and by unprotected handling of contaminated corpses. There is no known cure. Currently, 167 people who have been in contact with the 79 reported cases are under surveillance.

Another 400 West Nile cases have been reported in U.S. during the past week according to the CDC.

Disease

The death toll in the ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has risen to 10.

A massive cholera epidemic in the coastal slums of West Africa is killing hundreds of people with thousands more infected.

Syphilis outbreak among porn actors in the California porn industry prompts calls for a halt to filming in the multi-billion dollar industry.

Epidemic of PRR [peste des petits ruminants] in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is a contagious viral disease that has killed tens of thousands of goats and sheep.

Botulism outbreak on a bird farm in Wyoming, USA. 2 700 pheasants have died in the past week.