Outbreak News: Week in Review (April 13-19)
From the Outbreak News Today news desk:
Samoa
The island state of Samoa declared a dengue fever outbreak after reporting nine cases in the past two weeks.
Reunion
I’ve been keeping a close eye on the chikungunya epidemic on La Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. The numbers are huge. The latest update was published this week.
Brazil
Officials report 1 million dengue fever cases.
United States
Finally, the sad story of Nyati the gorilla, who had to be euthanized after a battle with the effects of a dangerous parasite.
Other news:
Oropouche virus
Researchers say it’s possible that Oropouche virus will become even more widespread in the future as climate change progresses. “Alongside the dengue and chikungunya viruses, Oropouche virus is probably most common virus transmitted by insect bites in Latin America”.
Measles in the US
The CDC now reports 800 confirmed measles cases from half the country, including 3 deaths (the first fatalities in a decade). In all of 2024, 285 measles cases were reported.
Eight states are now reporting outbreaks.
Legionnaires’ disease in Sydney
NSW Health confirmed there have now been 12 cases of Legionnaires' disease, all in people who spent time in the Sydney CBD between March 13 and April 5. One death has been reported.
Pertussis in the US
Whooping cough cases have jumped more than 1,500% nationwide since 2021. Experts warn that this year could be even worse.
So far, we’ve already seen just over 7,100 cases — that’s double what we saw last year at this time.
Pertussis in Japan
Whooping cough has swept across Japan, with the number of cases reported so far this year exceeding that of the entire year of 2024.
From the beginning of this year to March 30, the cumulative number of whooping cough patients reported by medical institutions nationwide was 4,771, exceeding 4,054 cases reported in the 12 months of 2024.
Vaccines
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has voted to recommend use of PENMENVY (Meningococcal Groups A, B, C, W, and Y Vaccine) as part of the adolescent meningococcal vaccination schedule.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted in favor of recommending the use of RSV vaccines including GSK’s AREXVY (Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine, Adjuvanted) in adults aged 50-59 who are at increased risk for severe RSV disease.
A vaccine under development at the University at Buffalo has demonstrated complete protection in mice against a deadly variant of the virus that causes bird flu.
Yellow fever in Colombia
On Monday, Outbreak News Today reported on the yellow fever situation in Colombia. On Thursday, the Colombian government declared a health emergency.